The Kingdom of the Sue
by TheDreamChild
Summary: Kingdom Hearts? What's that? Yes, dear readers, Rana is back...but where exactly is she? Lost in an unknown world full of Sues, Rana must help a mysterious Organization...if they don't kill her first. Sequel to The Hunting of the Sue. Rated for safety. R
1. The World That Never What?

**A/N: Well, I decided to retry a sequel to "The Hunting of the Sue". Alas, my days as a **_**Lord of the Rings**_** fangirl have faded somewhat, so I had a problem. Then I remembered my other fandoms and thought to myself, "C'mon, Inwë, it won't kill you to try something new." So here I am, writing my first Kingdom Hearts fanfiction. We'll see how it goes. **

**Disclaimer: As of now Square Enix and Disney own it all, but the plot and Sues and original characters are mine. **

As a rule, I am not a video game person. I like to read and write and occasionally draw, but video games are not something I'm familiar with. I've heard my fair share about them, of course – one cannot be a teenager in America without knowing _something_ about various video games, on purpose or not – but I don't play them.

You can imagine my shock when I found myself trapped in the…what did they call it…the World That Isn't There? No, that wasn't it…

But I digress. I need to backtrack a little before I start making sense.

My name is Rana Avari. You might remember me, I'm the crazy girl who got transported to Middle-earth and hunted Sues for a living. That was about two years ago…how old was I then? Fourteen? Fifteen? I'm seventeen now, or will be in a month or two. It's not much of an improvement over being fifteen, except for the obvious perk of having a driver's license. Got to appreciate that. I haven't been doing anything much since I left Middle-earth. I miss it terribly and think about the rangers often. Life in the real world seems so much less vibrant when you've stood side-by-side with truly great warriors and turned back the tide of Sues. Plenty of people have noticed the change in me since then. I've evaded questions well enough until now but I doubt it will last for much longer.

Anyway, I'll continue with the story of how I got to…really, I _must_ remember the name of it…the World of Something Negative? Still not right…must try harder…

I was sitting very casually at my desk in my room at home. I wasn't doing anything to deserve to be thrust into this alien world. I was reading a book. It was a good book, too, a simple dictionary of horse breeds. Perfectly innocent. The hunting knife Kai had given to me before I left Middle-earth was sitting on the wooden surface of my desk, freshly polished and now sheathed. I glanced at it occasionally, thinking about how and why I had received such a kingly gift. A sigh escaped my chapped lips and I went back to my book. I flipped through it a little irritably without really taking in any of what I was reading. It wasn't much of a loss, I'd read and reread the books hundreds of times and I could remember most of it without problems. I dragged my chair back enough so that I could put my bare feet up on the desk. My short hair (I'd done different things with it since Middle-earth, when it used to be fairly long) kept getting in my eyes while I read and I finally shut the heavy volume with a _snap_.

"What, pray tell, is the point of having short hair when it's so annoying?" I asked, addressing the photo of a silver filly that was tacked to my bulletin board. She didn't respond, and I smiled fondly at the picture. Such a lovely creature, one that existed only in memories of better days.

"Don't answer that," I added, opening my book again and turning to the chapter on Arabians. Something in my field of vision moved and my eyes snapped back to the photograph. The filly was frozen in ageless beauty, as usual. I blinked slowly and turned my head. The hunting knife lay just as I had left it, and no other clumsy drawings on my bulletin board shifted at all. Deciding I was hallucinating (again), I grumbled something about my overactive imagination and tossed my book onto the desk. The clock on my wall said it was nearly six in the evening. I could smell something delicious cooking downstairs and was sorely tempted to get up and go sample some of whatever was being made.

That's when it happened.

I was halfway through standing up and shoving my hunting dagger into a drawer when I felt dizzy. I gripped the back of my vacant chair for support as the room swam in front of my eyes. My balance thrown completely off, I felt myself falling backwards. The chair tipped over but I heard no crash as it hit the floor. I lost my footing and plunged into…nothing. I was unconscious.

It was when I awoke that things got to be _really_ weird. I still haven't figured out what happened exactly, only that when I finally pulled my mind back into the land of the living I was laying facedown on pavement and I hurt all over. I didn't open my eyes right away, instead just making sure I could breathe without too much difficulty. I tried to move my hands and arms to confirm that nothing was broken and felt my fingertips slide over something cool and metallic. I recognized the feel of my hunting knife and closed my fingers around the hilt. _Thanks Kai, I'm sure it'll come in handy,_ I thought. With a groan of pain I rolled over onto my back and opened my eyes. The sky overhead was pitch black and dotted with a few distant stars. There was a strange neon glow to everything. I shifted my gaze slightly and noticed tall, modern buildings lining the street I was sprawled in the middle of. I sat up quickly as I realized this must be a city of some kind and looked around wildly for oncoming traffic. It wasn't necessary; the place was deserted.

I heard a moan close by me and whipped my head around. There was a second girl lying next to me on the street. I recoiled from her as I saw her appearance. She was wearing a weird black coat that was a little too small for her, highlighting the fact that she had very pronounced curves and a waist that was only a few inches thicker than my wrist. She had long, curly silver hair and a tan. She was still asleep it seemed, but when I moved away from her she slowly opened her eyes by batting them repeatedly. They were abnormally large, as I've come to learn is meant to imitate the look of Japanese anime but come out horribly in real life. One eye was yellow and the other was sky blue. When this Sue – for what else could such a creature be? – spotted me she narrowed her eyes and frowned at me.

"Like, who are _you?_" she demanded in a not-very-regal voice. I stared at her for a moment. Being this close to a living, breathing Sue brought back memories of the "old days" when I'd been kidnapped by such creatures and almost killed.

"Er…well, I'm usually called Rana Avari," I said slowly, not extending my hand to shake hers in case she tried to chew my arm off. The Sue sat up and tossed her hair over her shoulder with an air of disdain.

"_I_ am Xede," she responded, "The fourteenth member of Organization XIII."

"Organization what?" I asked in bewilderment. Xede gave me a startled look, her mouth hanging open and revealing pearly white teeth that I was almost envious of. She stood up quickly and I did the same, not wanting to be off my feet if she wasn't. The Sue brushed off her black coat with a gloved hand and pursed her red lips in annoyance.

"Like, _the_ Organization XIII. With Axel," she added when my face did not register understanding. It still didn't make sense to me. Something, though, seemed out of place. Then it dawned on me, a profound truth that could not possibly be ignored. It was so astronomically and mathematically sound that I almost collapsed under the weight of such fact:

"How can there be fourteen members in a group called Organization XIII?"

Xede opened her mouth to answer, paused, and closed it again. My superior logic had once more foiled a Sue's master plans. Unfortunately the Sue did not drop dead from shock in the same way the last Sue I had defeated with reason had. Instead, she stared at me as if I wasn't right in the head.

"Like, do you even know who Sora is?"

"No."

"Riku?"

"No."

"_No one?_ Like, how can you, like, possibly be, like, a _Kingdom Hearts_ fangirl?" It was my turn to frown and I stared at the Sue quizzically.

"What's that? I've never heard of it before," I said. It was true; I never had until that point. I am a sadly uneducated teenager. Xede glared at me as if I was scum unworthy of basking in her presence. I thought she was about to say something to me when she abruptly turned on her (high) heels and stalked off towards the largest group of buildings in the abandoned city. I blinked slowly and realized I was being left alone and had no idea where I was. I sighed in disgust at this turn of events and charged after the Sue, feeling that I was definitely going to regret tagging along with her.

Everything was quiet except for the clicking of Xede's shoes on the ground and the patter of my bare feet, punctuated by curses and gasps every time I stepped on anything sharp (pebbles, glass fragments, and uneven places for the most part). And the street was _cold_. I felt like I was walking on ice that had been thawed slightly but still not enough to be comfortable. Xede ignored me altogether and kept craning her long neck, looking for something or someone while we walked. I can't complain about her too much, she was quiet for a Sue and didn't seem to care that I was following her. It was a change from the old types of Sues I'd encountered who couldn't shut up about Legolas and Orlando Bloom. This one was almost…tolerable. I hate to admit it, but I didn't mind her company. The fact that I was probably in a strange fandom and didn't have any reason to dislike her must have helped.

"Did you, like, see anyone when you woke up?" Xede demanded suddenly, stopping and turning to look me in the eye. I was unnerved by the golden and azure gaze and cleared my throat nervously.

"No, just you," I answered, watching while her face fell. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head.

"Like, I totally thought it'd be easier to, like, find Axel!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air and continuing on down the road. I jogged to keep up and suppressed a wince every time my sore feet hit the pavement. I didn't know or care who this 'Axel' was. I felt sorry for anyone who had a Sue after him, but on the other hand Xede's pursuit of this guy meant that I had to walk more and faster. It wasn't doing me much good, seeing as I wasn't entirely sure that Xede even knew where we were going.

Just as I was about to suggest that we stop for a break, Xede halted and I ran into her, banging my nose on her shoulder – she was a good foot taller than me, which I find insulting – and shoving her forward a few feet. I let out a yelp of pain and walked to the side to see around the obnoxiously tall Sue. Xede was glaring at, apparently, nothing.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked, shifting from foot to foot to alleviate the pain in each and glancing from the Sue to the empty space in front of her. Xede did not answer for several seconds and I wondered if she'd even heard me.

"Someone's coming! OMG!" she squealed at random, making me jump. I gripped my hunting dagger in my hand and wished I hadn't stopped practicing with it over the past few months. The Sue might be excited about company but that only made me more apprehensive. My eyes scanned the gloom uneasily as I waited, holding my breath, for someone to walk around the corner. Nothing happened for thirty seconds…forty seconds…one minute…one and a half minutes…

"Aww, don't pull my leg like that!" I snarled at the Sue, who was still giggling and bouncing up and down on the spot, "I really thought someone was coming -!"

Xede's girlish smile froze and slid off her face along with all the color in her skin. Her gold and blue eyes widened in shock and her mouth dropped open. Strangled gasps caught in her throat as she tried to breathe properly and failed. For a moment I thought she was choking on her own drool and took a step forward, intending to pound her on the back until she was all right. That's when I saw the weird disk-like object sticking out of her back. Xede collapsed forward and did not stir again. I could only stare in horror before looking around for her killer. No one was there, not on either end of the road. I lifted my knife into a more defensive position and crept over to Xede, crouching down next to her and checking for a pulse that wasn't there. I felt a bad for her now. She had seemed rather harmless for a Sue and I preferred to see Sues like her sent back alive to wherever it is Sues come from. Well, that and now I was very worried about getting one of those disk-like things stuck in _my_ back.

I backed away from the body and turned in a slow circle, waiting for an attack to come out of the darkness. I could hear and see nothing, but Xede's perfume masked any smell of blood in the air. I was panting slightly as the adrenaline coursed through me and urged me to flee. I wanted to obey but I decided it would leave me open to an assault from the assassin in the shadows.

"Who's there?" I shouted. It was unlikely that an attacker would reveal himself so lightly, but it felt better to yell than to sit there quietly and wait for someone to make a move. Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me and whirled around, knife up, in time to parry a blow from a second disk. This one was being held, not thrown. The man holding it was taller than me (why is this _always_ the case?) with oddly cut red hair, green eyes, and simple tattoos under his eyes. He was wearing the same kind of coat that Xede had been and there was a diabolical grin on his face that was directed at me.

"I'm Axel," the man replied to my earlier question, "I hope you and that other little Sue enjoy the Void!" With that he summoned the other disk into his free hand – I kid you not, the thing just vanished from Xede's corpse and showed up again in his hand – and slashed at me. I danced clumsily out of the way and almost tripped over poor Xede.

"Wait! I'm not your enemy!" I said quickly as I dodged and darted as far away from this 'Axel' as I could. What Xede saw in the guy, I know not. Axel laughed at me and threw one of the disks. It burst into flames halfway towards me and I had to roll out of the way. My pant leg caught fire and I beat it out with much swearing and blistering. Axel wasted no time in rushing forward, the sharp spikes on his weapon grazing the side of my face and leaving gashes as I scrambled out of the way.

"Axel!" called a new voice from right behind me, "You need some help?" It was a female voice dripping with sarcasm. I didn't even have a chance to turn before I felt someone grab me and wrench my dagger from my grasp. I watched in despair as my only defense was tossed to the side like a child's toy. But that didn't mean I'd stop fighting. I struggled valiantly against my unseen foe until I was panting and exhausted. Axel had paused in mid-attack and eyed the newcomer warily.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I can handle one or two Sues by myself, Larxene," he said with an exasperated sigh.

"Oh?" purred the woman I couldn't see, "This one looks more like that other type of Sue…what are they called…a fangirl?"

"I'm not anything!" I replied in my defense, renewing my efforts to escape, "I swear, I don't even know where this is or who you people are!" Axel tilted his head to one side and surveyed me, twirling his weapons idly.

"Right," he said sardonically, "I've heard that one hundreds of times from Sues. I admit you're not much to look at -."

"Oi! Show some manners!" I interjected angrily. Axel merely blinked and continued.

"You're not much to look at, but most fangirls and these Revised Sues that've been poppin' up everywhere aren't." He lifted one of those weird disk things and looked like he was going to throw it at me. The woman holding onto me sucked in a sharp breath and released me suddenly. I bolted out of the way and turned, staring at both of them. The woman was about my height – at last, proof that I am not short – with slicked-back blonde hair and wide blue eyes. _She_ looked more like a Sue than I did. As soon as she saw I was up, she summoned throwing knives in the same way Axel had summoned his own weapons. Staring at the place where my dagger had fallen, I backed up a few paces as my assailants came closer.

"Wait for me to get out of the way before you start setting things on fire, Axel," she said icily as she shot the redhead a look. He smirked softly in the semidarkness and did not reply.

"So, who wants to get rid of her?" Larxene (I think that's what her name was) inquired with false sweetness, smiling viciously at me. Axel rolled his eyes and stopped walking.

"Aww man, I _knew_ this was gonna happen when you showed up!" he sighed, making his weapons vanish just as easily as he had called them forth, "Fine, _you_ finish her off. If you're gonna kill somethin', I'd prefer it if it isn't me." He waved at his comrade dismissively and pulled up the hood of his coat. Weird black smoke appeared around his feet and he started to disappear.

"Wait!!" I said quickly as Larxene grinned wolfishly, "I hate Sues, I was a Sue hunter once!" Axel paused and the smoke faded abruptly. He gave me a curious, wary look from beneath his hood and walked over to me. I resisted the urge to back away, instead holding my ground and staring at him defiantly.

"A Sue hunter?" he repeated, sounding interested, "Did the DSD send you?"

"Uhh…no. What's…er…what's the DSD?" I said slowly, cursing my honesty and wishing I didn't sound so much like a Sue. Axel frowned suspiciously and leaned forward so our faces were inches apart. He has bad breath, but I decided it wasn't the best time to say so.

"The Department of Sue Destruction. If you were ever a Sue hunter you should know all about it," he answered.

"I wasn't a professional," I countered, "I just helped some people in another…umm…I helped some friends get rid of Sues." Axel raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a fact?" His tone and the look in his bright green eyes told me he thought I was lying. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized I couldn't convince him otherwise.

"Larxene, I'll meet you back at HQ," Axel said in a bored tone as he turned away and stalked off. His blonde friend raised her hand, sharp knives glittering in the pale light. I gritted my teeth and glanced at my knife, lying frustratingly out of reach; and at Axel, who was about to call that smoke stuff again and leave. This wasn't going to end well unless I did something about it. Standing there like an idiot with no weapon obviously wasn't going to work, nor was trying to convince them that I was telling the truth. I would have to work with their sympathy. I mean, it's not like they don't have hearts!

"Wait! Please!" I screamed desperately, giving the two of them my very best pleading look, "I swear, I'm not a Sue! Please just let me leave, I'll never come back here again! Please!" Larxene let out a shriek of laughter and teleported over to where I was standing (man, I wish I could do that) and held one of her knives up near my face. I do not like that woman, her with her sadism and her pointy metal objects.

"Don't be such an idiot!" she giggled with mock surprise, "Sues don't get to leave this place alive." I shrank away from her but found myself backed up against a wall. Cowering like a child, I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the inevitable.

"Hold it, Larxene." Both of us turned and stared at Axel, who had stopped again and was watching us from a few yards away.

"What _now_?" Larxene demanded, "Axel, she's a Sue! You've only ever fallen for one of them once, and I don't want to be the one to tell Superior that you've done it again."

"Like I've told you before, distasteful cruelty isn't my style."

"More like you've gone soft since you died," Larxene muttered, glaring at me as if this was all my fault. I shrugged and smiled sheepishly to show I couldn't help it.

"Let's take her back to HQ. If she really is a Sue hunter, we could use the extra manpower," Axel continued as if he had not heard his comrade's snide remark. I wondered vaguely what Larxene had meant by "since you died". Was I dealing with vampires? _Again_? Destiny Ambar had been quite enough trouble by herself, and she was just one. I did not like the idea of spending any amount of time around creatures that eat humans.

"I can't believe this!" Larxene exclaimed suddenly, making me jump, "You've finally lost it!"

"Yeah, well, you still have to listen to me, _Twelve_."

"Oh, bringing _rank_ into it, are we?" Larxene snapped, looking murderous, "I'm not obeying an idiot!" Axel glared at her (the effect was somewhat lessened by his hood) and folded his arms across his chest.

"C'mon, Larxene, you know you don't want to fight me over this." The blonde woman hesitated and glanced between me and Axel, obviously unsure of whether or not I was worth the trouble of a battle. I tried to look small and insignificant. After a moment, the throwing knives vanished from between Larxene's fingers and she lifted her chin proudly.

"Fine. I'm sick of standing out here in the cold anyway. I'm blaming this all on you when Superior finds out!" she declared haughtily before she disappeared in a rush of black smoke. I stared at the place where she had been standing and thanked all my lucky stars that I wasn't going to be sliced to pieces – yet. I shifted my gaze towards Axel and smiled weakly.

"Thanks," I said.

"Hey, don't thank me just yet. Superior has the final say about whether or not you're a Sue, and I'm not all that convinced myself." Axel shook his head at me and beckoned me over lazily. I wavered on the edge of disobedience before shuffling over and staring at my bare feet.

"You ever traveled by dark portal before?" Axel asked, and after I shook my head he added: "Well, this'll be an experience, then." He lifted a gloved hand and a large circle of that black smoke appeared in the air in front of us. I blinked at it and cast a hopeful glance at my dagger, still sitting on the cold pavement several feet away.

"Don't even think about it," Axel snapped.

"It was a present…" I murmured. The redhead sighed and gave my knife a critical look, as if it might sprout wings and try to stab him to death at any moment.

"Maybe I'll come back for it later. For evidence," he replied. I smiled broadly at him and he promptly shoved me into the portal. It felt like falling with a purpose, though I didn't know where I'd end up. There was no ground and there was no sky, only darkness everywhere. I didn't like it much and hoped I wouldn't have to travel this way again. Then I felt solid…something under my feet and stumbled forward, toppling out of the darkness and landing flat on my face in a long hallway. Axel stepped out of the smoke behind me and grabbed my arm by way of helping me to my feet. Then he dragged me down the long corridor. I had to jog to keep up with his long strides and couldn't help but stare at everything around me. Doors lined the walls, most of them with bars on their windows. Once or twice I saw large, lustrous eyes peering out at me from behind the locked doors. _Captured Sues_? I thought to myself as we passed. That seemed a little odd, considering how Larxene had seemed so bent on just killing me. Then again, _everything_ here seemed a little odd.

"What is this place?" I asked in awe as we kept going and the space between doors widened. Axel glanced down at me quizzically.

"You honestly don't know, do ya?" My blank look was answer enough and we abruptly paused by a window. The entire deserted city sprawled out in front of us, neon lights and darkened streets reflecting the sky like a murky pond. We seemed to be in a building suspended in the air. Fear of heights…fear of heights…

"This is the World That Never Was," Axel explained while I reeled away from the window and tried not to panic about the fact that there was nothing supporting the fort we were in, "The home of Organization XIII." I nodded mutely and did not regret it when we took off again and sped down the hallway, away from the view. Climbing trees was one thing; this was entirely different.

"Here we are," Axel said cheerfully when we stopped again, this time facing one of the locked doors. I tried to see into the room beyond but it was too dimly lit. There was a weird murmuring noise coming from within it and I couldn't help but recoil.

"I hope you don't mind some company," the redhead continued brightly. I turned my head slowly and gave him a look. This only seemed to encourage him and he positively grinned when he unlocked the door and tossed me inside. I landed on the floor and rolled, sitting up immediately when I stopped and snarled at Axel's smiling face.

"Oi! At least put some lights on!" I yelled as he shut the door behind me with a _clang_ and moved away. A second or two later pale lights flickered on overhead. The room was small, only about ten feet by ten feet. There was a cot in one corner and a toilet and sink in the other. Great, I was in _prison_. Not exactly what I had planned on.

I heard the small whimpering noise again and squinted. There was something curled up underneath the cot, something small and Sue-shaped. I nervously crept towards it and cleared my throat to get its attention.

"Hello? Are you all right?" I asked softly. It stopped whimpering and opened its eyes – they were large and lime green – and turned its head towards me. I gulped. After surveying me for several long moments it crawled out from underneath the cot and shook itself off.

It was a Sue, though what fandom it came from was beyond me. It was shorter and much skinnier than me, with spiky green hair and an ashy complexion. Its pupils contracted to slits when the light hit them.

"Like, who're you?" it asked me timidly. A timid Sue is a disturbing sight, unless they're faking it for Legolas' sake.

"Rana Avari," I replied. The Sue stared at me drowsily for a minute before sliding back under the cot.

"Er…and you are?" I inquired a little more loudly. It twitched and opened its eyes again.

"Don't remember," it answered sleepily, "But, like, I remember where I'm from."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I'm, like, from, like, _Naruto_." It paused thoughtfully and then added, "I'm a ninja." I raised my eyebrows and scooted away from the Sue quickly. I didn't know anything about the _Kingdom Hearts_ world, having only heard the name that day, but I'd heard of _Naruto_ and knew that Sues from that realm were particularly large in numbers. What was a Sue from that world doing here? And why did Axel and Larxene and this mysterious Superior know so much about Sues? I sighed to myself and decided I would have to wait until morning for answers; little knowing that there was no sunrise in this world.

**A/N: 20 pages, double-spaced. Not too bad for a first chapter. Please read, please review, and please rest easy in the knowledge that all flames will be donated to Authoressinhiding for her (thus far unused) flamethrower. **


	2. Of Naruto Sues and English Muffins

**A/N: Well, second chapter. Things might just get interesting from here. I humbly ask for your reviews and your time. Thank you. **

**Disclaimer: Square-Enix and Disney own the fandom, I own my original characters and the plot. Fair enough. **

I did not sleep very well that night for two reasons: one, I had been kidnapped by a strange Organization and was probably going to be killed if I couldn't convince them that I wasn't a Mary-Sue. Two, I didn't dare sleep on the cot because that Naruto-Sue was snoring loudly underneath it.

Thus, naturally, I was in a foul mood when I finally fell asleep and was then awoken by repeated pokes to my shoulder.

I opened my eyes groggily and squinted at the Sue I'd been locked in with. She was giggling wildly and poking my arm every other second, drool sliding out of her mouth and dripping onto the otherwise clean floor. I shuddered when I noticed that the drool was leaving scorch marks. I always suspected that Sue drool was acid based…must be from all the make-up and diet pills.

"Hey, stop that. I was trying to sleep," I told the unnamed Sue when I could form conscious thought. The Sue giggled again and continued prodding me with her pointer finger. She had short, unpainted nails, which is an extremely rare feature for a Sue. I decided it came with being a ninja, as the nameless creature said she was. I groaned and sat up suddenly, dodging a poke, and blinked at my surroundings. No one had bothered to turn off the lights in our small cell, which was all well and good since I did not want to end up playing Tig with a Sue in total darkness. I stood up slowly and my stomach growled. Lovely. I'd forgotten the possibility of starvation.

"When do they feed us?" I asked the Sue, "And do you mind if I name you? I don't like talking to someone without a name." The Sue snickered and started poking the empty air I had occupied a moment ago.

"Like, food? I, like, don't eat anything! And you can name me as long as, like, it's a name with lots of sparkles and rainbows!" I suppressed the urge to gag and staggered over to the door. No half-pin barrel hinges. _Why_ do all fandoms shun the half-pin barrel hinges? They're useful. At least, for escaping prisoners they are. I kicked the door irritably and let out a short breath, turning my head to study the Sue more carefully. She was still ramming her finger into the air where I had been sitting, her drool leaving nasty charred spots on the floor.

"I shall call you 'Nel'," I declared. Nel looked up at me for the first time and batted her long green eyelashes at me in wonder.

"Is that, like, a sparkle and rainbow name?"

"Sure," I sighed in defeat, staring out the window of our cell and wishing that that Axel character would show up and get me out of there. I felt a tug on my pant leg and looked down. Nel had slithered over and was clinging to my leg like a frightened toddler.

"You'll be, like, my bestest friend ever!" she cooed, slime dripping out of her mouth and landing on my bare foot. I howled in pain and kicked her away, rubbing the acid off my skin with whatever was left of my burnt pant leg. Gee, _thanks_ Axel. When I was done there were sizeable holes in my jeans and the hemline had risen a few inches so they were more like tattered capris than the comfortable jeans I was used to. I scowled at Nel and folded my arms across my chest.

"Nel, it's very rude to drip acid on your friend's foot."

"Like, what's acid?" she asked, eyes wide. She was serious. I groaned and banged my head repeatedly against the wall. The insanity was threatening to return. I had to escape from this Sue or all would be lost. I gazed out between the bars on the door and squinted. The hallways were all painted white and the effect was blinding considering how dimly lit our room was. I waited for fifteen minutes but no one showed up to bring us food.

"Rana-chan! Rana-chan!" Nel said in a singsong voice. I remembered distantly that "-chan" is a Japanese suffix added to names to make them more affectionate, like a pet name. Thank goodness for my varied education. I rolled my eyes heavenward and glared at Nel impatiently.

"_What_?" Nel squealed in delight and rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Rana-chan, I remembered my name! It's Nel!"

"…that's what I named you."

"Huh?" Nel replied uncertainly. I nodded and her face fell.

"Like, I thought I'd, like, gotten my memory back," she sighed, resting her chin on her knees and staring up at me with her abnormally large eyes. I tried to smile sympathetically but it came off as more of a grimace. That brought to mind the question of how exactly Nel had ended up in this fandom. I'd never heard of something like this before except in crossover fanfictions, but I didn't think I was in one of those.

"Well, can't help you with the memory thing. Sorry," I said with no real remorse. As far as I was concerned, it was probably a good thing that Nel couldn't remember much about herself. I'd have given anything for all the Sues in Middle-earth to forget about their obsessions with Legolas. It would have saved me the trouble of helping the rangers hunt them all down and ship them back to wherever it is Sues live.

I yawned and lay down on the cot. Nel stayed where she was and stared at me. I suppose she had nothing better to do than watch me doze, but I didn't like it. I ignored her for the most part and observed the ceiling in silence. What was this Organization XIII going to do with me now? Axel had said I'd have to convince them that I wasn't a Sue. I wasn't sure how easy that would be. Compared to Nel, I was obviously not a Sue. But Xede had been as close to normal as I'd even seen a Sue get. If they were the opposite ends of the spectrum, then I was still fair game in the eyes of any Sue hunter (or hater) who didn't really care whether or not I was telling the truth. It was a dangerous game to be playing.

"Rana-chan!" Nel whined loudly. I opened my eyes and realized I had dozed off. It was impossible to tell what time of day or night it was, but the speed with which I was fully conscious suggested I hadn't been sleeping for long.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" I murmured, shifting into a more comfortable position and peering at Nel with blurry vision. The Sue pointed to the door. It was opening. I sat bolt upright on the cot and jumped to my feet. As soon as the door was open enough for me to get through, I ran forward with a war cry…

…And smacked my face against an invisible barrier. I fell over backwards and held my nose. It was bleeding but not broken, thank the Valar.

"Ow!" I complained loudly as my eyes watered and blood ran down my face, "Axel, you jerk! I'm gonna get you for -." I stopped when I sat up and saw it was not, in fact, Axel. A man in the same familiar black coat was staring at me skeptically from the entrance to the cell. He had long, bluish silver hair and yellow eyes. _Yellow eyes!_ What is _with_ these people?

"Who're _you_ supposed to be?" I slurred while I pinched my nose with one hand and wiped the blood off my face with the other.

"My name is Saïx," he said slowly. "Do you understand me?"

"I'm not a Sue, I can understand English just fine. And I'd speak it more clearly if your _stupid door_ wasn't so bent on my destruction!" Saïx did not seem amused or upset in the slightest. He didn't even come inside to help me to my feet, so I awkwardly stood and tried to keep my head still at the same time. Nel had laughed wildly at the sight of me being knocked off my feet by a door, but she stopped when I shot her one of my best deathglares.

"All right, so now what?" I glared at Saïx impatiently and he glared right back (the yellow eyes made his much scarier than mine). He opened his mouth to reply, but just then the weird black smoke portal thing appeared behind him and Axel stepped out. He looked a little flustered and gave Saïx a scathing look that, fortunately, Saïx didn't see because he had his back turned at the time. I gave Axel a small wave and hoped he was here to make this Saïx guy go away.

"Am I late?" Axel asked, his tone more polite than it had been the night before, though with a definite air of sarcasm that wasn't going to get either of us anywhere if he kept it up. Saïx turned around and gave the redhead the same glare he'd been directing at me.

"You're not needed."

"Yeah, but _I_ caught her," Axel replied coolly. Saïx's eyes narrowed slightly but he did not answer. Instead, he pressed a button on the wall next to the door and something in the doorway shimmered and disappeared. I walked forward tentatively and put out a hand. There was nothing there to hinder my progress. Still moving slowly in case the wall had merely moved back, I stepped out of the cell and heard the door clang shut behind me. Nel came up by the window and grinned at me.

"Bye-bye, Rana-chan!" she said happily. I chuckled nervously and winced when Axel put a hand on my shoulder – gently this time, merely nudging me forward instead of dragging me along. I hurried to keep up with Saïx, who was sweeping down the hallway in front of us.

"Is that Sue really from the _Naruto_ world?" I asked Axel in a low voice. He looked over his shoulder at the cell door that was getting smaller and smaller as we walked.

"Yeah, she is," he answered in an equally quiet voice, "She landed here by accident. We're usin' her to study how Sues act outside their home realms." My mind started working rapidly after he finished speaking, processing old theories about Sues and how to be rid of them that I hadn't thought about since I'd returned from Middle-earth.

"So is it working?"

"Pretty much," Axel sighed as we turned down a side corridor and picked up the pace a little bit, "She was a lot worse a few months ago. She was a real handful when she first showed up, she had all this crazy magic she could do…" He trailed off when Saïx shot us both a dark look. I realized quickly where I was and how foolish it was for me to be chatting about Sues and their destruction with a guy who was still fairly sure I was one…or was he? Axel didn't seem as cold as he had the other day. Maybe I'd convinced him. That thought left a hopeful bubble in my chest and I didn't feel as apprehensive about whatever was about to happen next.

That is, until Saïx opened a door and I was ushered into a large circular room with thirteen…no, fourteen thrones forming a ring around it. I craned my neck to see who was sitting in them. There were ten people, all wearing the same black coats and all with their hoods up. So _this_ was Organization XIII. I still counted fourteen chairs and wondered what that meant. Also, if there were twelve members here, where was the thirteenth?

"So…this is the Sue," boomed a deep voice. I looked up even higher and spotted someone sitting on the highest throne.

"I'm not a -!" I started to say, but Axel shook his head slightly and gave me a warning look so I shut up.

"She says she doesn't know anything about the Organization, sir," Axel said calmly. His posture and tone of voice had changed completely since we stepped into the room. Before he had been casual and relaxed. Now he was a bit tense. And (better yet) he was defending me.

"I see," the man on the tallest throne said quietly, so quietly that I barely heard him. The other members murmured amongst themselves before the leader – or so I guessed he was – raised a hand for silence.

"You," he said, addressing me, "What is your name?"

"Rana Avari, sir," I replied as respectfully as I could.

"What world are you from?" I paused, unsure of how to answer that. I didn't know how much I should or shouldn't say about the real world in a fandom. Then again, these people already seemed to know a lot of things about Sues and our world that they probably shouldn't.

"Um…the real world…sir?" I stammered uncertainly, hoping it was the right answer. The man did not speak for a moment and I worried that I'd said something wrong.

"What do you know about Sues? What is the definition of a Sue?" Oh, trivia! I love trivia! I cleared my throat and took a deep breath to get ready for my long-winded explanation.

"A Sue is any female character that is unrealistic, 'perfect' or cliché," I said in a confident voice. This was territory I knew well from my earlier days. "Also, Sues usually are as important or nearly as important as the main characters in their home fandom. Most of them 'fall in love' with canon characters who would not otherwise be attracted to the Sue." The man nodded slowly and seemed satisfied with my answer…for the moment. He said something to one of his comrades on the thrones, but I didn't catch it.

"Axel."

"Yes, sir?" Axel answered promptly, tilting his head back so he could see.

"Explain how you came to capture this girl," the man – I realized he must be the "Superior" Larxene kept mentioning – ordered. The redhead nodded and hesitated for a moment as he collected his thoughts.

"I was patrolling as usual and spotted what I thought were two Sues. I killed one but decided the other one – Rana – looked kinda…_kind of_ suspicious, so I brought her back for questioning," Axel said carefully while he tried to keep his informal mannerisms out of his speech. A figure that I assumed was Larxene shifted uncomfortably in her chair and glanced over at Superior as if she wanted to say something. He noticed and turned his head to look at her.

"Do you have something to add?" he asked. There was an edge to his tone that sounded like he was enjoying this, and I shuddered. Larxene pulled off her hood and glared down at me with pursed lips.

"I think this kid is manipulating Axel!" she cried, pointing an accusing finger in my direction. I blinked and swallowed. Superior turned his head again and waited expectantly for Axel to say something. The redhead looked both uneasy and defiant.

"Superior, I woulda shown some signs of Sue possession by now. Sir," he added hastily.

"Defending a Sue is a clear sign," Larxene snapped from her perch. Saïx, who until now had remained watchful and silent, eyed Axel and I warily.

"I agree with Larxene," he said, "This girl has bewitched him."

"How so?" I demanded hotly, ignoring Axel's slight shaking of the head. Larxene looked exasperated.

"Look at him! He would _never_ defend a Sue unless she was controlling him!" All hooded heads moved to watch Axel. The redhead let out a soft hiss of annoyance under his breath and folded his arms across his chest, staring unflinchingly at his accusers.

"Man, you're all so quick to blame people for stuff…" he murmured. I chewed on my lower lip and waited to see what he would do. This was working only slightly in my favor. Axel had obviously been rather offended and seemed to be the type who would stubbornly defend his views if challenged. On the other hand, he'd ticked off the rest of his Organization. Eleven against two are not good odds.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Axel?" Saïx inquired in a silky, dangerous voice. The redhead turned sharply and glared at this new opponent.

"Whatever I have to say, it's not _your_ place to tell me when to say it," he growled. I shuffled my feet and started edging backwards towards the door. Axel noticed and his gloved hand latched onto my upper arm, preventing movement. I smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, don't leave if I'm gonna help ya!" he told me with an amused smirk. I didn't know it then, but he wasn't really smiling. That was his grim, I'm-ready-for-a-fight look. If I had known that I wouldn't have been nearly as calm about staying where I was.

"I'm _not_ possessed, sir. I just don't think she's a Sue. Doesn't fit the description, does she?" Axel told Superior. I smiled innocently and tried to look normal. I could feel the eyes of all the hooded members boring into me. After a few minutes of edgy silence, Superior jumped down from his chair and landed lightly on the ground. He strode forward, his boots making little or no noise on the floor, and grabbed my chin in one hand. I flinched and shivered. He had the same bright, disturbing golden eyes that Saïx and Xede had shared. I tried to hold eye contact but was too frightened by the nothingness in his gaze to look into it for long. After a few seconds Superior let go and turned to Axel.

"What have you told her about our world?"

"Nothin', boss," Axel replied, shrugging and watching Superior without the same obvious discomfort that I had, "Just the name. She's clueless." I nodded enthusiastically, though the "clueless" comment ruffled my feathers a bit. The other Organization members watched their leader in dead silence. It felt like they were all holding their breath. I doubted it was because of me – more likely they were wondering what punishment Axel would receive for aiding a "Sue". I had a nagging suspicion that Axel had had some problems with his comrades in the past (his insolence certainly made it believable), but I wasn't sure. Everyone seemed to have a fearful respect for Superior that I don't think Axel would have abandoned so lightly.

"I see," Superior said. I gulped and fidgeted with my shirtsleeve, hoping he was in a merciful mood, unlike Larxene who looked like she wanted to roast me on a spit and eat me for supper. Speaking of supper, my stomach picked that moment to growl loudly. With a sinking feeling I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before. Superior shifted slightly so he could glare at Axel and I at the same time.

"When did you last eat?" he asked me sharply. For a moment I thought he was concerned about me. Then I realized what an obvious sign of humanity hunger was.

"Breakfast, yesterday," I replied. My stomach growled again. Helpful thing, isn't it?

"A Sue is incapable of eating human food," said another member from his chair. He pulled off his hood and I caught sight of a tanned face and very light blonde hair and a matching beard. "I suggest we start there."

"Quiet, Luxord. That is my decision," Superior answered in a low voice. I sneaked a look at Axel out of the corner of my eye. He was no longer smiling and he looked tense. He probably wasn't sure himself if I was a Sue or not, and the results of this test would be important to us both. I just hoped that the Organization had a relatively normal taste in food. There's a lot of stuff I'll eat but I draw the line at certain foods.

"Zexion," Superior called over his shoulder. Immediately, a black robed figure appeared out of a dark portal.

"Superior?" the new person said in little more than a whisper. I didn't like his voice; it had a creepy edge to it. He did not remove his hood so I couldn't see his face. Superior turned and muttered something to him. Zexion bowed and vanished again.

"Zexion will go and fetch something from the kitchens," Superior told me, "And you will eat it." I nodded to show I understood. In a few moments Zexion returned and handed a small plate to Superior. There was a single English muffin on it. It looked cold and unbuttered, but my mouth watered just looking at it. _Food_! Real food! I almost squealed in delight and took the meager meal from Superior's hand without thanking him. I chewed the tough crust greedily and swallowed thickly. Now was the time that I wished for some water. Zexion and Superior, not to mention the rest of the Organization, watched me with a kind of detached fascination. I paused and wondered if the muffin was poisoned.

"Er…um…thank you?" I said quickly. Axel started to chuckle but stopped himself. Larxene scowled and tapped her foot impatiently in the air. Zexion took the empty plate, bowed to Superior, and disappeared again. I nervously wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and rocked back and forth on my heels. I felt a little better now, though I could feel a stomachache coming on from eating too quickly. I shot Axel a curious look but he did not meet my gaze.

"Did I pass?" I inquired tentatively. Superior stepped forward and pulled off his hood. He had silver hair, more metallic colored than Saïx's, and rather dark skin.

"My name is Xemnas," he informed me, "Remember it well and remember what position you're in."

"What position is that, sir?"

"For now…" He paused and turned his back on me, addressing his underlings. "For now we let her live. She shows obvious signs of being human, but we cannot let our guard down." Xemnas turned and gave Axel a bone-chilling glare that Larxene looked jealous of.

"If you _ever_ defy the Organization again, I will finish what I started when Roxas left," he said in a warning tone. Axel paled and clenched his jaw, green eyes narrowing slightly.

"You got it, boss," he mumbled half under his breath. Xemnas seemed satisfied and looked back at the others. They were talking again in not-so-subtle voices.

"Is he mad?"

"She must be a Revised Sue!"

"_I'm_ not going to trust her, no matter what he says."

"Oh, be quiet, Larxene. She looks normal."

"Normal compared to _what_?"

"I still say she's a Sue."

"Enough!" Xemnas roared over the arguments. Everyone shut up and looked a little startled that he had noticed them. Luxord glared at Larxene, who glared right back and tried to look aloof at the same time. I shifted my weight from foot to foot and tried to give Axel a grateful smile, but he kept looking away at the wrong moments. I hoped I'd get a chance to talk to him later. Some questions were gnawing at my head. Why did the Organization seem to dislike him so much? And what had Xemnas meant about finishing what he'd started? Who was Roxas? I felt that I should know the name from somewhere. Maybe I'd read it in one of the old fanfictions I'd seen that had stray crossover references without any explanations. That's when it clicked. I _had_ heard of Kingdom Hearts before. It was a video game fandom. I probably would have recognized it earlier, but I had kept away from fanfiction sites since my return from Middle-earth. I was too worried that I'd find the Sues that I had helped kill. That was a disturbing thought.

"Hey, you ok?" I jumped and spun around. Axel was blinking at me with that weird, quizzical look on his face. I grinned and nodded.

"Thanks, Axel. You saved my life."

"Nah, you did that. I just wanted to tick off Larxene." I wasn't sure if he was joking or not. He looked a little shaken from what Xemnas had said to him, and I wondered what significance it had. I decided now was a bad time to ask.

"Say, when did you start believing me about not being a Sue?" I asked to change the subject. Axel shrugged and scratched the back of his head. He looked at loss for words.

"Probably when you said 'please' the other night. Oh, by the way…I got somethin' for ya." He held out my hunting dagger and I stared at him blankly for a moment, rather touched that he had remembered. My smile became a little more watery as I realized just how much the knife meant to me. It was a piece of my other home, in Middle-earth, where there were people who cared about me. Not that there weren't people like that in the real world, but I was already a living token of their friendship and love. The knife was different. It was a gift, a talisman, and it was precious to me. Oh no, the Sméagol moments were returning. I shook my head to clear it and nodded to Axel.

"I'm not sure what to say."

"I think 'thank you' is the usual response."

"I know, but…" I looked at the floor and Axel lifted my chin with his hand, shaking his head. He smiled wryly and stepped back a bit, studying me. In the background I could hear the rest of the Organization talking again. I stuffed my knife in my pocket for safekeeping and prayed I wouldn't be using it anytime soon.

"You know, I'm not sure what we're going to do with you," Axel sighed, "We don't have guests very often. Not ones that aren't prisoners." He laughed and ruffled my hair. I irritably smoothed it again and wished I had a comb.

"Ah, don't worry too much, kid. We'll figure it out." He looked over my head at the others and started to look a little impatient. I followed his gaze and together we watched them debate while Xemnas returned to his throne and let them bicker.

"Are they always this divided?"

"Depends on the argument." I wondered how such a messed up group managed to survive for so long. That brought to mind a question. I glanced back at Axel.

"What did Larxene mean when she said you'd gone soft since you died?" I asked suspiciously. Axel's smile froze and he stiffened. He gave me a hard look and folded his arms across his chest, which he seems to do when he's upset or being stubborn.

"_That_ is a story for later," he replied simply. I must have looked offended because he added, "It'll get explained soon."

I certainly hoped so.


	3. Socks

**A/N: Wow, I'm on a roll. The last chapter was 19 pages, double-spaced. Not bad for me. Please enjoy this next chapter. **

**Disclaimer: Square-Enix and Disney own all. Even Axel, but I think Axel would be more in favor of Square than Disney. I only own the original stuff. **

It took a while for the Organization to settle down enough to start worrying about lunch, and in the meantime my stomach hurt something terrible. That English muffin was not nearly as filling as I wished it had been, especially cold and without butter. Several times I almost asked Axel what time we would eat, but he had shifted his attention to the arguments flying over our heads. I tried to do the same. For the most part it seemed that the Organization was split into thirds when it came to their opinion of me. Larxene, Saïx, and a few others were convinced I was something they called a "Revised Sue" and that I had hoodwinked Axel and (though no one dared voice it) Xemnas as well. Luxord and a couple members who seemed to be a little younger argued that I didn't seem to be a Sue at all. The remaining third, made up of members on the highest chairs, said nothing and let their comrades bicker. Axel wisely remained silent and waited until the energies of everyone were spent.

"We should eat," Xemnas said at length when there was a lull in the conversation, "It's getting fairly late." He didn't seem to be wearing a watch and there was no clock in the circular room, so I wasn't sure how he knew that it was getting late. Whatever time "late" is in the World That Never Was.

"All right," Zexion murmured from his chair, "I'll go set things up." He turned his head and gave several other members pointed looks. After a second, he and two others vanished. A third drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne until Xemnas glared at him and he disappeared too.

"C'mon," Axel said to me with a bored look on his face, "Let's get to the dining hall before everyone else does." He gestured to the door and I followed him out of the room. I could sense Larxene's angry eyes trailing me as I walked. She wasn't the type of person I wanted as an enemy; I started wondering how I could get on her good side, short of suddenly falling off the face of the earth.

We walked down the plain white hallway until Axel got tired of slowing down to wait for me to catch up and just summoned a dark portal. I didn't like it any more the second time than I had the first, but I was getting used to the sensation of falling. When we stepped out again we were in a grayish room with white and black furniture and trim adding some variety to the otherwise blank space. There was a long white table in the center of the room with fourteen chairs lined up around it. Zexion and his three helpers were busy setting the table and didn't notice us until we were almost right next to them. He had pulled off his hood, and I saw he had a sullen-looking face with longish, oddly cut silver hair and blue eyes. He looked up when he saw Axel and I and did a poor job of hiding a scowl.

"Can I help you?" he asked. I glanced between him and Axel. There was something odd about these two. The redhead suddenly looked aloof and on guard. Zexion, meanwhile, looked about as defiant as Axel had when he'd been defending me. I could feel an argument waiting to blow up in my face.

"Um, yeah," I interrupted quickly, "We were just coming to help set the table." Both Axel and Zexion gave me a blank look.

"I beg your pardon?" Zexion replied as if he couldn't believe I'd spoken to him. I grinned and shrugged.

"Hey, if you're gonna let me live the least I can do is help you with the dishes."

"Rana, you're overdoing it -," Axel started to tell me. I waved him off and looked over at the other three members who had paused to watch us talk. I expected them to hastily begin working again, but they didn't move. Zexion shifted his gaze from Axel to me and then back to Axel. He seemed to be considering which one of us was going to be more troublesome. After a second he sighed and handed me the stack of plates he had been holding.

"Don't drop them," he ordered me flatly, "And you can stay out of the way, Eight." Axel looked indignant. He stalked off to the corner and sat down in a vacant chair, eyeing Zexion and I with disdain. I smiled apologetically as soon as Zexion went back to setting up chairs. If the redhead noticed he didn't respond. I sighed and shuffled along to help the other four. It didn't take long to set out plates, bowls, glasses, and chopsticks. Wait, _chopsticks_? No! I can't use chopsticks! I looked around hopefully for some silverware or something that didn't require as much skill as chopsticks, but there was nothing else on the table except a few large, steaming pots that seemed to hold our dinner. My mouth watered at the smell of hot food and I could barely resist the urge to take the lid off of one of those dishes and eat something.

"When do we eat?" I whined at Axel as my stomach growled again. Loudly. He shrugged and didn't answer.

"Soon, don't worry," said a new voice behind me. I spun around and saw a boy a little older than me setting the last tray of food on the table. He was my height – you can't imagine how nice it felt not to be considered short anymore – with brown hair and blue eyes. He smiled pleasantly and I blinked at him.

"And you're…?"

"Demyx," he replied simply before pulling out a chair and sitting down. Just then the door opened and the other members filed in. Most of them had their hoods off now and I tried to match voices to faces, but they were all speaking in low tones that blended together and made identification difficult. Axel walked over when he saw it was mealtime and poked my shoulder to get my attention.

"Ow!" I snapped. He pointed at the chair next to Demyx.

"Here, kid. You can sit with us."

"Not so fast, Axel," Xemnas snapped from the head of the table, "She's the youngest, she'll sit in Thirteen's old place." I must have looked bewildered because he nodded at the far end of the table. Larxene sat across from an empty chair. Even as I looked a hooded man sat down in the chair I had been planning on taking, which was directly to the right of the only remaining seat. I groaned.

"It's a stupid rule…" I began lamely.

"It makes sure everyone remembers their rank," Xemnas added, glaring at me pointedly. Axel sighed in exasperation and went to sit down across from Demyx. I made a point of taking as long as humanly possible to get to my assigned chair. By the time I reached my spot everyone else was waiting expectantly for me to hurry up. With dignity and a scornful glance at the hungry Organization, I sat down and glared at the nearest dish. No one said any prayers or anything so I was a little taken aback when they just started piling food onto their plates. The food looked delicious but I wasn't sure how much of it I recognized. The bowl nearest me contained some kind of red-brown soup with some kind of vegetable in it. I ladled some into the shallow bowl I had been provided with and wondered how on earth I was supposed to eat it without using a spoon. I heard slurping noises and spotted Larxene drinking her soup right out of the bowl. Ok, that wasn't exactly how I would have done it. I hesitated before mimicking her. The soup was salty and I thought I tasted something like fish. Larxene let out a soft peal of laughter when I spilled some down my chin and onto my already dirty shirt. My deathglares didn't seem to work on her and I decided silence would be a more prudent course of action.

I don't think I have ever eaten such a weird mix of foods. I later found out that the soup I had been drinking was called _miso_ and was made from fish eggs and seaweed. I also ate sushi, which wasn't too bad, and a lot of rice. The chopsticks were a nightmare. I dropped them constantly and got scandalized looks from Larxene whenever I had to bend down to pick them up from the floor. The guy on my right kept chuckling in a very creepy way whenever I dropped food or spilled something. He also kept twirling a rose between his fingers and making it vanish and appear like it was part of a cheap magic trick. Otherwise, he and Larxene pretended I wasn't there and talked about things that didn't make any sense to me. They made a few snide comments about Axel that I was glad he couldn't hear. I didn't know much about this Organization, but I knew for sure that I didn't like Larxene and this man she kept calling "Marluxia".

"I think Axel's really lost it this time," Larxene sighed, swirling a canned energy drink around and around in dizzying circles. Marluxia snickered again and sipped his own drink.

"Serves him right. He and Thirteen are the only reason we have such a Sue infestation." His voice was low and haughty. It put me on edge and I found it difficult to concentrate on my rice. Instead, I watched the two of them out of the corner of my eye and picked at my food.

"I think he _enjoys_ all the attention," Larxene continued, "Hordes of women with questionable intentions are chasing him around. It's bound to go to his head."

"That might explain why he's keeping this one around as a pet." I stiffened and felt my face getting red. Marluxia chuckled and took another long gulp of his drink. He set the empty can down on the table and turned his head slightly to observe Axel, who was chatting with Demyx and Luxord.

"A pet, eh?" Larxene scoffed, "More like a toy." There was a weird light in her eyes and I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. I was so busy trying not to yell at her that I didn't notice the silence that had fallen on the group. When I finally realized it I looked up sharply. Everyone was looking at Xemnas as if expecting a speech of some kind. "Superior" seemed a little harassed and I got the impression that my presence wasn't helping.

"After the meal is cleaned up I believe some questions are in order," he said irritably. Zexion nodded at once and got up to start collecting dishes with minimal grumbling. I rose to help but Xemnas gestured for me to sit down.

"You'll be doing chores soon enough." I wasn't sure what that meant, but at a nod from Axel I sank back down into my chair. Marluxia managed to disguise his laugh as a hacking cough. Larxene smirked at me over her soda. If Xemnas or the others saw their subtle exchange, they did nothing about it. Axel did look a little suspicious. That has to count for something.

"Hand me your plate," someone whispered almost in my ear. I jumped and gave myself some minor whiplash as I spotted Demyx right next to me with a pile of dirty dishes balanced in one hand. How he got over here and how he didn't drop anything was a mystery.

"Oh…uh…yeah, sure. Here." I hastily shoved my plate and bowl onto the mountain of crockery he was carrying. It swayed precariously but didn't crash to the floor. Zexion swooped past a second later and scrutinized the leftovers while Demyx vanished through a dark portal. There wasn't that much left on the table: most of the soup was gone, the sushi had disappeared, and there wasn't any rice to speak of. Everyone seemed pretty full and content, except for me. I was too full and not content at all. Marluxia and Larxene kept exchanging smug grins and I marveled at the fact that I hadn't smacked either of them upside the head yet. That wasn't the wisest idea; seeing as they could probably kill me with half the effort it would take me to hit them.

"Now," Xemnas said loudly once everyone was seated again, "I expect Rana has some questions for us." I perked up at the mention of my name.

"So I can talk now?" I asked, ignoring Larxene's nasty look. Xemnas nodded.

"All right, first of all…who are you people? Or rather…_what_ are you people?" There was an uncomfortable pause in which all the members tried to avoid my gaze and Superior's at the same time. No one seemed to want to answer that one, but I didn't know why. Wondering if I had stumbled across a taboo of some kind, I held my breath and waited for an answer.

"We're Nobodies," Saïx began slowly, "That is to say, we are all that is left of those who have lost their hearts."

"Those without hearts?" I repeated blankly, "What do you mean by that?"

"When a human heart is consumed by darkness, that heart becomes what we call a Heartless. The body left behind is reborn as a Nobody."

"I see…" I replied, though I really didn't get it at all, "Then…well, I don't mean to ask if it's too much of a secret, but…Larxene said something about Axel dying once. Is that true?" Several people burst out laughing but were silenced by dark looks from Xemnas. I glanced sheepishly at Axel, who looked a little embarrassed.

"Are you familiar with the term 'collective canon'?" Saïx asked me. When I shook my head, he took a breath and continued: "This place is outside the main canon of our original world. Our Organization has never existed as a whole at any given time; thus when we were all destroyed in the timeline of our game, we were reborn here."

"…so, technically you're all dead?"

"_Technically_ we never existed in the first place." The other members nodded in agreement. The mood in the room seemed to have darkened and I wondered if I was asking too much. I picked one of the random topics swirling around in my head and hoped it would change the subject.

"Well, umm…how come you guys know so much about the real world? Isn't that a breach of the world balance?"

"Our world is an exception," Xemnas piped up before Saïx could explain anything else, "I think that's enough for the moment. Vexen," he added to the oldest member at the table, "How is the laboratory?"

"Heh heh heh. After today's events I would like to conduct more research into certain subjects…" The man stared at me the entire time and I shuddered. Ugh, he looked like one of those mad scientist types. I _hate_ mad scientists.

"You will have to hold off on that. I want you and Zexion to contact the DSD and inform them of what's happened."

"Certainly," Vexen said with ill-disguised disappointment. Zexion merely nodded. The two of them vanished. As soon as they were gone, Xemnas turned his attention to the others. Whatever meeting had been held was now over, by the looks of it. "Superior" gave out more orders, namely sending Demyx and another man named Lexaeus to do the dishes and finish cleaning the table. When that was done he dismissed the remaining members. Axel got up and wavered near the door while I waited impatiently in my chair for someone to say something to me.

"_You_ are going to speak with the DSD when they arrive sometime tomorrow. In the meantime, Axel can show you around," Xemnas announced. That's what he _said_, but I got the impression that he really meant 'Don't go wandering around'. I can imagine that a loose teenager in a fortress was as much of a threat as a loose Sue or fangirl, at least in the Organization's mind. As soon as this thought hit my brain I wished I could go exploring and see if this weird group had any skeletons in their closets. This laboratory that had been mentioned had especially interested me, and on top of that I was just plain curious. A large place like this usually had secret passages and tunnels and dungeons. I could see myself stumbling across a treasure vault somewhere in the basement. That would make this whole crazy adventure worth it, or so I thought to myself giddily as I began scanning the empty dining room for loose wall panels and suspicious levers. Xemnas must have noticed because he glared at me until I hastily jumped up from my chair and shuffled across the room towards Axel. The redhead didn't look too happy about being my tour guide, but if he hadn't wanted the job then he shouldn't have stayed behind after the others left. That did make me wonder why he'd stayed. Had he intended to confront Xemnas about the unusual threat from earlier? Was he keeping an eye on me? Did he still suspect that I was a Sue? My head started spinning from too much overload and I wished I'd ended up in a different world than this one, preferably one I could navigate. Middle-earth hadn't been nearly as difficult, and convincing the rangers that I was human had taken significantly less effort and injury.

"Axel," Xemnas added just as we were about to step out the door, forcing me to pull out of my thoughts and listen, "She can stay in Thirteen's old room for now. Make sure she knows how to get there." Axel looked a little surprised for a second but shrugged and opened the door for me. I scurried out as quickly as I dared. The redhead shut the door behind us and let out a relieved sigh.

"Man, I'm glad _that's_ over!" he said cheerfully. I laughed uneasily and followed him down a hallway, again having to jog to keep up.

"Are dinners always so tense here?"

"Nah. 'Cause of patrol shifts we don't usually eat together. Mostly Demyx, Luxord and I eat in the lounge. C'mon, I'll show ya," he added as we passed a few doors. He stopped by one of them and pressed his hand against it. I heard a soft _click_ and the door swung open, revealing a cozy room with two couches, a large bookshelf, and a coffee table. Unlike the rest of the castle, which seemed to be painted in nothing but shades of white and grey, this room was plastered with faded red wallpaper. A few books had been tossed onto the coffee table as if their readers had left in a hurry. Axel looked annoyed and quickly picked one of them up.

"Ah, man! I was readin' this!" he growled while he irritably straightened the bent pages. Sighing, he started looking for his lost bookmark. I was busy staring at all of the books on the shelf. I didn't recognize any of the titles and wondered if any of them were interesting. There was one that was worn and not nearly as dusty as the others. I pulled it out and flipped through the pages. They were all blank.

"What's this?" I asked curiously. Axel looked up from his search and quickly snatched the volume out of my hands.

"It's a secret. The boss would have to give you clearance." He closed the book with a snap just as I thought I saw words forming magically on the page. Well, _that_ was suspicious. I made a mental note of it and turned back to the other books on the shelf. Several of them were thicker and larger than my Bible at home, while others seemed to be only one hundred pages long or less. I wondered what was in all of them and decided to "borrow" some of them sometime. If I was going to be stuck in this place indefinitely I would need something to read to keep my mind off of things.

"You have a nice library here," I commented. Axel shrugged and put the blank book back in its place.

"Not the best, but it's better than nothing," he replied simply. He looked up at where a clock might have been once and turned to leave. "C'mon. It's getting late."

"How do you know?"

"I dunno, when you live here long enough you can just tell," the redhead said vaguely, "And my patrol shift starts soon, so hurry up." I scowled at him and quickened my pace as we left the room and headed up a flight of stairs. We ended up in yet another hallway. This one was lined with numbered doors; I counted fourteen of them, which brought to mind another question. I was going to say something when Axel stopped abruptly. I had to concentrate all my efforts on not crashing into him. We were standing next to a door numbered "XIII". The fourteenth door was directly across from it, but there was no label.

"All right, this is the room. To get in just put your palm on the door. I think Superior already added ya to the system."

"What system?" I wondered aloud. Axel rolled his eyes.

"The security system, genius! We used to just teleport around, but 'cause of all the Sues 'n' fangirls we had to upgrade a bit."

"Oh." I felt a little foolish and hastily pressed my palm against the door. Nothing happened for a second, but then I heard another _click_ like the one from the lounge door and a handle appeared on the door. I pulled and the door swung open. Dust rose up from the floor as I stepped inside and I coughed, fumbling around with one hand for the light switch. I found it eventually and the room was flooded in dim light that had no clear source. It was more like a jail cell than a room, actually. It wasn't very large and the walls were that same dull white color as the rest of the castle. There was a bed in one corner and a closet door across from it. A small desk huddled next to the bed with a lone lamp perched on top of it. There were no posters on the walls, no books, nothing. It was as if no one had lived here in the first place, though according to Xemnas someone had once. More dust flew into the air as I stepped on the old, ragged carpeting.

"Ugh, is _this_ where they made him live?" Axel said from the doorway, "And I thought _my_ room was small."

"Who lived here, anyway?" I asked absentmindedly as I opened the closet door and surveyed its lack of contents.

"His name was Roxas. He…" Axel trailed off and stared pensively at the carpet while I opened all the desk drawers and checked under the bed for any signs of intelligent life. I expected spiders to come raining down from the heavens but there wasn't a single cobweb or cockroach to be seen. Apparently the security system kept out household pests as well as Sues.

"Was he a friend of yours?" I continued without thinking too much about what I was saying. Something in the atmosphere felt tense and I looked over my shoulder. Axel had a weird look on his face and seemed uncomfortable.

"Are you ok? Did I say something?" I asked, concerned. Axel shook his head quickly and gave me a pained smile.

"I'm fine. It's…a touchy subject. Don't ask about Roxas, no one likes to talk about it."

"Oh…sorry." Axel waved off my apology and stepped back into the hallway.

"Nah, it's not your fault. I'm gonna be out on patrol all night, so someone else'll come give you breakfast." I nodded mutely as the redhead started to vanish in one of those portals.

"Thanks again, Axel," I said just before he disappeared entirely. Whether he heard me or not, I wasn't sure. I closed the door and heard the lock slide back into place. Well, if nothing else I knew no Mary-Sues would be breaking in during the night. I sighed and turned to glare at the bleak room once more. My bare feet were really cold and the carpet had the dirt-encrusted texture of a muddy doormat. I half hoped that whoever brought me breakfast would be able to tell me where I could find some clean clothes. My pants were dirty and torn and my nice black shirt had blood on it from when I'd smacked my nose earlier. Letting my eyes wander around the tiny area, I spotted the single desk drawer that I hadn't opened. I walked over to it and bent down, pulling it open with some difficulty.

There, on the bottom, was a pair of plain black socks that looked a little too large for me.

"SOCKS!" I squealed in delight, yanking them onto my feet without a moment's hesitation. "Roxas, I don't know who you are or why the Organization hates you so much, but you are officially my new best friend."

I smiled down at my sock-clad feet and sat down on the bed. The ever-present clouds of dust billowed upward and I succumbed to a coughing fit. This place needed some serious work, but I wasn't going to start cleaning tonight. I was tired, though I doubted it was long past four or five in the evening, and I needed to think. I stood up again and shook out the grayish blankets on the bed, wishing vainly that I had thought to cover my mouth, and hoped that those mysteriously missing spiders and cockroaches were not taking refuge under the pillow. When I had thrown enough dust and dirt into the air to rival a small smoke grenade, I curled up and stared at the wall. There was a lot to contemplate, namely what exactly was going on. This world was so different from my own, or even from Middle-earth, that I wasn't sure how to adjust. _If_, in fact, I should bother trying to adapt to it all. The DSD sounded like it was based in the real world, so maybe they could help me get home in one piece. If not, how long would I be stuck here? Last time this sort of thing had happened I hadn't been too concerned about getting home – and who could blame me? Middle-earth had been amazing. The rangers had been kind and the royals were surprisingly good people. I had even been able to help stop a Sue invasion. Perhaps it was my calling in life to protect worlds from the Sues. But that didn't explain how I had gotten here, or who had sent me, or what I was going to do next.

I decided that it was one of those things that would take time to understand. I still had questions (lots of them), and I grumbled impatiently to myself about how secretive everyone was. Still…if I were the Organization, I certainly wouldn't trust a stranger with any sensitive information. I suppose it was reasonable for them not to trust me just yet. Though I admit, Larxene and that Marluxia character were just plain _nasty_. What was their problem? I hadn't offended them in a past life, had I? Or maybe Axel had…most of their aggression seemed to be directed at him rather than me…

With that thought and many others in mind, I slowly drifted off to sleep. The morning would bring more odd encounters and cryptic words, but for now I could rest peacefully and forget the world outside these walls.

**A/N: Yay! Eighteen pages, double-spaced. That's not too bad at all. Hopefully this fiction will last longer than my first attempt at a sequel…Speaking of which, updates might be a little spastic for a while due to a time issue – but don't worry, I **_**will**_** update and I'll try to stick to my chapter-per-week rule. **


	4. A Wrinkle in Canon

**A/N: Chapter four. Wow. Hopefully I'll get more reviews. And to those who have reviewed, you have my thanks. Please enjoy this next chapter – I fear it is the one that will either kill this story or make it a lot more interesting.**

I don't know how long I slept, seeing as the Organization seems to have a vendetta against clocks, but judging from my level of grogginess I'd guess it was about seven or eight in the morning when I heard a banging on the door. I sat up quickly, disoriented, and almost had a panic attack when I couldn't figure out where I was. I took a few seconds to calm down (which was hard when someone was knocking on the door like a woodpecker) and the previous day and a half flooded back into my memory. Relaxing slightly, I climbed out of bed and stumbled towards the door. The lights had been on all night because I'd forgotten to shut them off, but I had a feeling the Organization didn't use such a trivial energy source as electricity. No, a CIA-type group like theirs was bound to run on something goofy like happy faces or people's hearts or something.

"I'm coming!" I said as I irritably put a hand on the door. A handle appeared, just as it had last night, and I opened it. Compared to the dim illumination in my room, the hallway was blinding. I blinked and put a hand up to shade my eyes. A man with blonde hair and a beard was standing on the other side of the threshold, a box in one hand and a bundle of something under his arm. Fumbling to recall his name, I didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"Oh…um…Luxord, is it?" I asked, forcing a smile. He nodded and held out the box.

"Here. Have some breakfast," he replied. He had a British accent and I decided he seemed fairly nice. At least he was one of the people who didn't think I was a Sue.

"Thanks." I smiled more cheerfully and took the box from him, opening it and surveying the contents. There were three strips of bacon, two eggs, and a small pile of hash browns. They were a little cold, but I didn't mind – especially since there was a plastic spork with them instead of those God-forsaken chopsticks. With my mother being such a good cook, I have had some heavenly meals in my time, but _nothing_ had ever looked as good as that breakfast…unless of course it was the dinner the night before, but breakfast always seems so much more hopeful than dinner. And today, I realized, was the day I was going to have a word with this DSD that supposedly hunted Sues.

"Are you all right?" Luxord inquired. I jumped and almost dropped the box of food.

"Sorry, I was thinking. The food looks great, thank you for bringing it."

"I also have some old clothes for you, compliments of Larxene," he added, handing me the bundle of clothes. Awkwardly juggling my breakfast so I could take it, I stared at him.

"_Larxene_ sent these?" I repeated incredulously once I had them in hand. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Not on purpose. It was Superior's idea."

"Oh." Well, there went all hope of having miraculously stopped Larxene from hating me so much. I supposed it was for the best; Larxene wasn't the sort of person I wanted to be close to anyway. Still…I wasn't too thrilled at the idea that she probably still wanted to kill me. Luxord seemed to know what I was thinking, because he smirked.

"Larxene is a person who takes time to accept others. As it is, I would advise you to keep out of her way as much as possible. She has a volatile temper and does not enjoy the company of those younger than her."

"Ah, I see…" I answered vaguely. This was the type of occasion where I wished I had something to take notes with. I had a feeling that I would need some serious help when it came to staying away from Larxene and her pointy metal objects. "So, did your boss say when the DSD is coming to see me?"

"Yes." I waited expectantly for Luxord to elaborate, but he didn't. I felt mildly annoyed. This was a mind game I was intimately familiar with, but usually I was the one who was enjoying the joke.

"What did he say?" I sighed when I finally got bored.

"He said he will send someone to fetch you soon." Oh, _lovely_. That was just the kind of information I needed!

"When is 'soon'?" I asked a little nervously, wondering how much time I had to eat and get dressed. Luxord shrugged and turned to leave.

"I would say that by 'soon' he meant 'in one hour'. By the way, there's a bathroom down the hall if you want to clean yourself up a little." With that he was gone, his footsteps echoing down the hall as he walked. I wasn't sure why he didn't just teleport but I decided it wasn't worth thinking about. Instead, I kicked the door shut and went back into my borrowed room. I tossed the old clothes onto the floor and ate my breakfast in silence. An hour, eh? That wasn't long. I seriously hoped this DSD could help me get out of here. I didn't understand this world and I didn't think I wanted to. Obviously, the Organization knew a lot about Sues and how to hunt them. If I had been "sent" here to help them, I wasn't going to do much good. That left the ominous question of how exactly I'd arrived here in the first place. _Somebody_ must have sent me for one reason or another. I needed to find out who and why. It was something I would prefer to do from the comfort of my own home, where I didn't have to worry about people trying to murder me left and right.

I polished off my meal as quickly as I could without giving myself a stomachache and set to work sorting through the clothes I'd been given. Larxene had obviously not been in a very charitable mood. There was a pair of pants with ripped knees, a long-sleeved shirt, and more socks. That was all. There weren't even any shoes for me. Did I mention everything was black, too? Honestly, do these people wear _anything_ other than black? Not that I have anything against it – black is my favorite color and I'm often seen wearing it – but it seemed that this world had been designed by a room full of colorblind abstract artists. I sighed deeply and glared at the tears in the pair of pants. Naturally there were no needles or thread around, so patching it up was out of the question. I'd have to have a word about that with Xemnas when I next saw him.

I got up off the floor and glared at the clothes, picking up the pants and shirt and my hunting dagger but leaving the socks where they were. I vowed to keep the socks I was wearing now. They had been my last link to sanity, and I owed Roxas a lot for not properly cleaning out his sock drawer. With this hugely overdramatic thought in mind, I left my room and shuffled down the hallway to a door that said "RESTROOM" on it in large black letters. I knocked, but there was no answer so I opened the door and stepped inside. Like my room, it was small and plain with white walls and metallic surfaces everywhere. I latched the door behind me, took one look in the mirror, and almost dropped my hunting knife on my foot. I looked bloody awful. My hair was tangled and greasy, my skin looked paler than usual, and there was a bit of blood on my face from when I'd almost broken my nose. I was glad Axel wasn't nearby; otherwise I'd have punched him for not mentioning what a wreck I was. Even worse, I was getting _self conscious_ about it! I refrained from banging my head against the wall and settled for taking a hot shower. It wasn't much, and the water got cold towards the end, but I felt better afterwards and figured I looked presentable now. At least, as presentable as one can be with wet hair and secondhand clothes that aren't in very good shape. I toweled off my hair and combed it with my fingers until I was satisfied that it wouldn't be completely unmanageable. For a world full of people with weird haircuts that must require a lot of hair gel, there was a surprisingly lack of hair products and combs lying around. I got the uncanny sense of being in a place that hadn't been lived in much before now. Everything was _too_ clean.

I wondered about that as I stepped out of the bathroom and shut the door behind me. Turning around to put my old clothes back in my room, I almost ran into Demyx. He looked startled and I guessed that he had just stepped out of a dark portal.

"Hey. Sorry about that," he apologized quickly as I jumped back a pace and glared at him. I waved it off. He seemed like a nice kid and I felt a little bad for him: he struck me as being the sort of person that gets picked on a lot.

"Umm, Superior sent me to get you. The DSD agent is here," he continued awkwardly.

"Oh. Well, I'll just put this stuff away…" I trailed off and shuffled over to "my" room and tossed my things inside, a sinking feeling taking over my stomach. I was nervous about meeting these people from the DSD. They sounded like the PPC, which was a good group by my standards, but I wasn't sure how much of my story they'd believe. What would happen if they thought I was lying? Would they take me into custody, deport me, or even kill me? And if they did, what would the Organization do to Axel? I automatically started feeling bad for letting him get involved. Reminding myself that _he_ had gotten _himself_ involved, I stubbornly vowed to get through this meeting calmly. It couldn't possibly end as badly as I thought it would. I was telling the truth, after all, and with enough time and patience I was sure I could prove it.

"Let's go, then," I said a little too tensely. Demyx looked uncomfortable so I smiled at him. "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit…"

"Scared?" he finished for me. I nodded. He started to reply but stopped himself after a second, instead opening a dark portal in front of us and beckoning me through. I stepped into it, once more hating the sensation, and stumbled through the darkness until I found myself in a cozy room not unlike the lounge Axel showed me. The walls had been painted a warm brown color and a wooden table was set up in the center. The place appeared to be some kind of kitchen, though it was a little small to be used to cook for the entire group. More likely it was just a side room that members could use to make themselves a snack or something. Xemnas, Luxord, and a young woman I didn't recognize were seated around the table. The woman was sipping a cup of what smelled like coffee while she talked to "Superior".

"It's getting much worse out there, I'm not sure how much longer we'll be able to – oh, is this the girl?" the woman broke off abruptly as Demyx and I appeared. She was about twenty-one or so, my height, with long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and dark grey eyes. She stared at me curiously but didn't seem too suspicious. I glanced uneasily at Xemnas. His face was impassive as he nodded to one of the unoccupied chairs. Sitting down gingerly, I let my eyes dart around the room and search for exits. Behind me, Demyx waited a polite interval before vanishing again. Great, now I only had one apparent ally. I took a breath and tried to relax.

"Rana, this is Kite. She works for the DSD," Xemnas said flatly by way of introduction. Kite leaned across the table to shake my hand.

"Please call me Danielle. 'Kite' is just my professional name," she said warmly.

"I'm Rana, though technically it's an alias too." I smiled. Danielle seemed more like the rangers I had befriended during my first adventure and it was good to have another girl around who wasn't contemplating my death. We chatted for a few more minutes while a second pot of coffee brewed and I ended up telling her about how I had gotten to The World That Never Was. She seemed as mystified by it as I was, which was somewhat comforting. When the coffee was done I got myself a cup and then settled down to answer some more serious questions.

"You say you helped some rangers fight Mary-Sues in Middle-earth?" Danielle asked me while I sipped my coffee. It wasn't very good, especially since I prefer tea, but it was something to drink. At Danielle's inquiry I set down my mug and nodded.

"Yeah. It was about…two years ago now? I was at school and then I fell asleep. When I woke up I was in Eregion."

"Wait…did you say Eregion?" I nodded slowly and Danielle's eyes widened.

"The rangers' names were Kai, Hazel, Brynne, and…Favian, right?" I almost choked on my coffee.

"Yeah! How did you know?" I asked excitedly. Danielle grinned at me.

"They're working alongside the DSD and the PPC to keep out Sues. They always said that someone had come to their world and helped them stop a major Sue invasion, but no one ever quite believed them." I sat there dumbly for several moments while I processed all this.

"They're all ok, then? How are they doing?" I asked, blissfully forgetting about the Organization and all my problems for a minute. Danielle told me all she knew about the operation in Eregion that was fighting off the Sues, and how the number of Sues was gradually dropping because of their efforts. There was one odd moment when she paused after mentioning Favian, but I didn't worry about it. I felt so proud of my old friends and wished I could see them all again. Unfortunately we weren't able to talk for long. Xemnas didn't seem to like being ignored and he cleared his throat loudly when it looked like our conversation was going to drag on for another hour.

"This girl is not a Mary-Sue, then?" he inquired coolly, giving me another one of those dark looks that he was so fond of. Danielle laughed.

"No, she's not a Sue. She was telling you the truth when she said she was a Sue hunter once."

"But she didn't work for the DSD."

"No."

"How can you be sure she didn't fool the rangers you were speaking of?" There was silence while Danielle froze for a moment, thinking. I could almost hear the gears spinning in her head. I suppose Xemnas had a valid point. If I were a powerful enough Sue to win Axel over to my side, then it wouldn't be much of a stretch to brainwash a few rangers and convince them that I had helped them get rid of a bunch of other Sues. It was elaborate, but it's what I would do if I was a Mary-Sue. Then again, I would have to be smart to pull it off…as smart as Gwenllian, the leader of the Sue invasion, or the mysterious queen of the Sues that I had met fleetingly. Just who did Xemnas think I was?

"Look," I snapped suddenly, "If I was a Sue, why would I go to a world I knew nothing about? And what about your little food test?"

"There are things we call 'Revised Sues' that have similar abilities," Danielle said slowly. I glared at her for a moment.

"You've been talking to me for half an hour. Do I _sound_ like a Mary-Sue?" I demanded angrily, feeling hurt that she was so easily swayed.

"You have to admit, Superior, she doesn't act like any Sue or Revised Sue we've encountered," Luxord said quietly from his seat, making me jump a little. I'd forgotten he was there. He didn't look up at me when he spoke, instead playing Solitaire with a deck of cards he had conjured from thin air.

"This is true," Xemnas agreed carefully. The two of us turned our attention back to Danielle, each of us knowing that the final say rested with her. She was, after all, a professional Sue hunter. She looked uncomfortable and wouldn't meet my gaze.

"She…doesn't seem like a Sue to me. I don't want to repeat past mistakes, though…" Danielle and Xemnas exchanged one of those significant looks that are so annoying if you're not in on the joke. I glanced between them nervously. Obviously there had been some incident with a Sue before my arrival, though I wasn't sure what. It did remind me of another comment Larxene had made the night I had crash-landed in this crazy world: _"Axel, she's a Sue! You've only ever fallen for one of them once"_. Had a Sue come to this realm and managed to slip under the radar? That might make sense, and it would explain why no one seemed willing to trust me. My righteous indignation cooled somewhat and I shut my mouth. They were just trying to do the same thing I had done in Eregion: ensure that the Sues wouldn't destroy them or their world. I had just had the misfortune to disrupt their war efforts by adding a grey area to what should have been black and white. Now, if I could prove I was no Sue, they would be forced to act with more caution instead of killing or imprisoning any and all Sues they came across.

"I don't know how I can show you that I'm not a Sue," I began again in a soft voice, "But if you really don't trust me then just send me home." _Actually, do that anyway, _I thought to myself. _I don't want to be here._ Danielle fidgeted with a ring she was wearing – an engagement ring, I noticed after a second – and looked away.

"About that, Rana…"

"Yeah?" I sighed, already tiring of all this.

"The DSD can't send you home."

There was a perfect stunned silence for a moment that gave me time to dissolve into silent protests. Surely she was mistaken! There had to be a way for me to get back to the real world. I couldn't stay here, I _wouldn't_ stay here; I'd run away and get back home on my own, maybe even in time for whatever delicious meal had been cooking the night I disappeared. Danielle had to be joking, though no one was laughing. But the guilty expression she was wearing told me otherwise.

"_What_?" The furious outburst did not come from me, but from Xemnas. Well, _someone_ wanted to get rid of me. I stared at the tabletop, completely at a loss. The DSD had been my single hope. Now I was trapped here, and I wasn't happy about it. Somehow, the fact that no one else was pleased didn't really make me feel better.

"She can't stay here," Xemnas explained in a strained, controlled voice. "It will disrupt this Organization. Even if she isn't a Mary-Sue, she will still be a hindrance."

"I can take her back to headquarters if it'll make you feel better, but we don't have the time or staff to process her case right now. All hell's about to break loose Outside and we simply can't be expected to -," Danielle replied with the same deliberate calm. Xemnas didn't say a word, but the atmosphere was abruptly heavy. Luxord tore his attention away from his card game and eyed "Superior".

"I am not concerned with the inconvenience it will cause the DSD. I don't want her in this world." Xemnas had not raised his voice, but there was an edge to his tone that made my skin crawl. He'd used that same tone when he threatened Axel, though I hadn't understood his words. Something like fear flickered briefly in Danielle's eyes. Then, just as quickly, she glared at Xemnas as if she was completely unfazed by his attempt at intimidation.

"Likewise, _I_ am not concerned with what happens to Organization XIII without the DSD's help," she answered tersely, rising from her chair and taking a step towards the door. "You're clearly capable of dealing with Sues on your own, so I'll let my superiors know that our services are no longer necessary."

Xemnas stood up as well, golden eyes blazing. For a moment I thought he was going to hit Danielle. She seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she summoned a katana the same way I'd seen Axel and Larxene summon their own weapons.

"Feeling a little violent this morning, are we?" she spat. Xemnas snorted. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luxord slowly get up and ease over to Xemnas. The blonde put a hand on his boss's shoulder.

"It is not wise to allow an insult to affect one's mind," he said sagely. I couldn't tell which person he was speaking to, Xemnas or Danielle. At any rate, Xemnas relaxed slightly and lowered himself back into his chair.

"Sit down," he ordered Danielle blandly. She started to scoff and say something defiant, but Luxord shook his head a fraction of an inch. Swallowing her pride for a moment, she sat down again and leaned the katana against the edge of the table.

"I can't take her with me," she said flatly before anyone had a chance to ask her anything.

"Why can't you send her home?" Xemnas inquired. He sounded a little sour and I could tell that he viewed losing his temper in front of his subordinates as something highly distasteful. Danielle, meanwhile, traced her fingers along the hilt of her sword. Everyone seemed to have forgotten I was there, which was fine by me. I didn't want to get that pretty sword anywhere near my face.

"We can't send her home until we find out who sent her here." My pulse quickened and I leaned forward eagerly despite myself. Someone really _had_ intended for me to arrive here. It was a nice idea. I liked the thought that I wasn't here because of some cosmic miscalculation.

"She was sent then? You're sure of it?" Xemnas demanded. I pitied whomever I was playing harbinger for; if "Superior" ever found them he'd probably strangle them on the spot.

"Her story matches the description of a rather complex summoning spell used by the higher-ups in the DSD who can't use dark portals."

"_You_ sent her here?" Xemnas demanded. Uh-oh. The DSD wasn't winning favors. Danielle was already shaking her head.

"Not to my knowledge. I'll look into it as soon as I get back. In the meantime, I suggest keeping her around. If she is who she says she is, you'll soon see it." She shot me a critical look and I swallowed thickly. The message was clear: I had better not be a Sue…_or else_. I tried to smile reassuringly but faltered after a second. I just wanted to get out of this room, away from the dark aura that had settled in like mildew.

Danielle got up once again and held on to her katana. I watched in unguarded fascination as it disappeared again. That was a trick I needed to learn. Everyone else stood, so I quickly scrambled to my feet and wondered what would happen now. Danielle headed for the door without saying good-bye, but Xemnas coughed loudly and she paused.

"There is one more matter we should finish discussing, seeing as we were interrupted earlier." No one looked at me but I could tell I was the "interruption". Danielle looked a little annoyed but moved away from the door.

"Now, Rana is not privy to this information, so she may wait in the hall." I almost rolled my eyes. I felt like a child being shooed out of the room while the adults talked about their finances and scandalous news from around town. Sliding a little on the floor (I still only had socks on, seeing as fate hadn't wanted to supply me with shoes yet), I stepped out of the room and shut the door behind me. After a prudent interval I put my ear against the door and listened.

"So things are bad on the Outside," Xemnas's disembodied voice said irritably from the other room. "Is that what's causing our little addition?"

"We don't know," Danielle replied in a muffled tone, "It could be the huge number of Sues. With enough focused will, they've been known to affect the realms."

"Is the damage permanent?" Luxord asked. For the first time all morning I sensed a little fear in his voice. There was silence for a moment and I heard a chair slide back and a sigh, probably Danielle getting more coffee. The other two waited patiently for her answer.

"I don't know. Your only real advantage is that once it's over you'll be stuck with one Sue instead of one million." I heard a bitter laugh that sounded like it came from Xemnas. I closed my eyes as I listened, thinking. I wasn't sure what they were discussing, but I had my suspicions. This might be my answer to the mystery of the fourteenth everything.

"You'll let us know if anything changes Outside, won't you?" Luxord asked. He sounded resigned about whatever great calamity loomed on the horizon.

"Of course." I heard Danielle get up again and head towards the door. I darted backwards. Unfortunately, Roxas's socks finally failed me. My feet slid on the smooth floor and I felt myself falling backwards. I had barely registered it when someone grabbed my arm and hauled me up before I could smack my head on the ground. Shaking slightly as the adrenaline wore off, I turned my head. Axel was blinking down at me. He had dark rings under his eyes and I wondered if he'd slept at all since his patrol shift last night.

"Don't want Superior catchin' ya eavesdroppin', now do we?" he said with a wry smirk.

"It was worth it," I replied. I pulled my arm out of his grasp and straightened up, treading more delicately on the slick floor. Just then, the door swung open and Danielle stepped out. She smiled brightly at Axel, a smile he returned. For a moment I was forgotten again and I took the moment to watch them.

"How have you been?" Danielle inquired.

"I'm all right," Axel answered offhandedly. "You? How's your fiancé?"

"He's great, but work's been keeping us busy." She gave me a weird look out of the corner of her eye that seemed almost guilty, and I stared back at her quizzically. Danielle glanced back at Axel and I went back to being ignored.

"That's too bad," Axel continued. "He's a lucky guy. When's the wedding?"

"We're going to wait a year because of all the activity Outside," Danielle replied a little wistfully.

"Am I invited?" Axel asked teasingly, leaning against the wall and smirking as if he was enjoying a private joke. Danielle rolled her eyes heavenwards and started to walk away.

"You'll be there even if I say 'no', right?"

"Hey, if _you_ were stuck here with a bunch of self-righteous jerks, you'd be lookin' for an excuse to get out too." Axel followed Danielle with his eyes, the grin never leaving his face. After a second he stepped away from the wall and followed her down the hall. I hovered by the kitchen. Xemnas and Luxord were still inside, talking in low voices. I couldn't catch much of what they were saying and I was curious about Axel and Danielle, so I decided to go with them. If my eyes weren't deceiving me, Axel was flirting with her.

I slipped and slid down the hall, trailing after Axel's fading voice and Danielle's occasional laugh. I kept them within sight and strained my ears to catch their conversation, which had quieted significantly. Also, I felt guilty about all the eavesdropping I'd been doing that day. It wasn't something I was in the habit of doing and I didn't like it. Still…I'd been terrorized, threatened, glared at, talked about, and just barely reprieved over the past forty-eight hours. I figured I deserved to listen in on a few talks. Who knows? Maybe I'd be able to blackmail someone. Larxene came to mind and I grinned evilly. Oh, I'd _love_ to find some dirty secrets about her!

"So you really love him, don't you?" Axel asked up ahead, jolting me out of my musings. He and Danielle had paused next to a door and seemed to be saying their farewells.

"Yeah, I do," she replied. There was a distant look in her eyes and she looked, in a word, happy. Axel nodded, his sardonic smirk softening into a pleasant one.

"I'm glad you found someone." Danielle laughed and playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"No you're not, you old liar."

"No hearts, eh?"

"Well, that's what they say…" Axel leaned forward a little so his face was only inches from Danielle's.

"Do you think that? Do you really think I don't care?" I couldn't be sure, but he sounded a little offended. This was a personal moment so I discreetly edged around a corner and peered around it. All right, I could be more discreet than that – leaving the room, say, or plugging my ears and humming – but I wasn't in the mood. Danielle stared at the floor and shook her head slowly.

"Of course not, Axel. But please don't make this difficult. You were a crush. My fiancé is different."

"He's still from the realms," Axel pointed out, but I could tell he was giving up on whatever argument he had been getting into.

"Axel," Danielle all but whined. "You're sweet, you really are, but you can be such a pain sometimes."

"That's what the boss keeps telling me. What'd he want, anyway?" Danielle sighed and folded her arms across her chest, staring at her feet for a second. Axel didn't pressure her for answers and the two of them fell into silence. I hesitated, wondering if I should listen to my conscience and leave before I overheard anything too sensitive or if I should wait and hear their real opinions about the meeting with Xemnas. As per the usual, my curiosity won and I stayed were I was. I'd let myself feel bad about it after I got the information I wanted.

"Where'd you find that girl?" Danielle asked in an attempt to avoid the real question. Axel shrugged and looked around (I dodged out of sight just in time).

"She was out in the city with some Sue. Why? Is she one of them?" he actually sounded worried and I remembered Superior's threat. I peeked around the corner again to catch Danielle's reaction.

"I was just curious. She seems pretty honest, but that _is_ rather like last time."

"Hey, at least the other one wasn't a little kid. Some of these crazy Sues think I'm a pedophile or somethin'," Axel replied. "But I don't think Rana's a Sue. She doesn't fit the profile."

"Neither did -," Danielle started, but Axel caught sight of me and put a finger on the woman's lips.

"Don't talk about that in front of _her_," he cautioned, nodding pointedly at me. My face reddened and I stepped away from my hiding spot. Danielle blinked at me and Axel shook his head.

"Man, kids these days!" the redhead exclaimed in mock exasperation, shooting me one of his broad grins. I didn't return it. Instead, I glanced up sheepishly at Danielle.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to listen in," I said, kicking myself mentally for my own dishonesty. I shouldn't lose all my morals just because I landed in a world I don't know. Axel laughed.

"Don't lie, Rana. We know you meant every second of it. But relax," he added as my blush deepened considerably. "There's no harm done. Yet." I gulped. Axel turned his attention back to Danielle, who had recovered from her initial chagrin and looked ready to leave.

"So am I gonna have to ask Rana here about what Xemnas was chatting about?" he asked sarcastically. Danielle looked uncomfortable and glared at me as if this line of questioning was entirely my fault.

"I should get going, I've got some paperwork to do and my boss wants me to check on some of the Disney worlds in this realm before I punch out tonight." Axel smiled at her again in that soft, kind way I'd seen him smile earlier.

"Turning into a regular ol' desk jockey, aren't ya?" he joked. Danielle made a noncommittal noise in her throat and put a hand on the doorknob. Axel leaned down and kissed her before she could leave. Automatically, it seemed, she twisted around and slapped him across the face. Hard. _I_ even winced, and I was over on the other end of the hallway.

"Axel, I'm _engaged!_" Danielle snarled, raising her hand threateningly so she could smack him again if he tried anything. Axel chuckled good-naturedly and put a hand on his cheek where the skin was turning red.

"I always wanted to do that. But as long as you're happy…that's great. I hope it goes well for you two." He waved at her and turned around, walking farther down the hall. Danielle stood were she was for a minute or two more. Her furious expression had softened somewhat and when Axel was out of sight she quietly opened the door and disappeared.

I didn't move right away. That entire exchange had been bizarre. I got the distinct impression that whatever relationship the two of them had in the past went against all laws about maintaining the realms. In fact, it bordered on Suedom. I'd heard tales in the old days of fanfiction authors who had been severely punished by the PPC and other groups for self-insertion. How could the DSD allow one of their agents to date/court/fall in love with a canon character from one of the realms? Unless, of course, they hadn't known about it at all.

I pondered this for several minutes while I paced in circles. I was sorely tempted to ask Axel about it, but the part of me that still understood boundaries was squeamish about prying. _C'mon, Rana!_ I thought, _You have to find out. It's just your nature._ Right. My nature was to assault people (who supposedly didn't have hearts) with insanely personal questions (about said non-existent hearts and what was going on inside them, no less). It would be an eventful evening.

When I'd finished my long-winded musing, I ran off in the direction Axel had gone and hoped I'd be able to find him again. It wasn't easy. The hallway twisted and turned and branched off every few yards. There were white doors everywhere, some locked and some not. I opened all the ones that weren't and stumbled across a few interesting rooms. One held nothing but a weird glowing portal that I _almost_ ran through to see where it went. Another led down some stairs and into a very deep basement. I could hear a few screams and wails from the depths, so I quickly shut the door and ran off. I had a feeling that last room was the laboratory Vexen had mentioned. I kept going for what seemed like an hour – it could have been, I can't tell without any clocks or daylight around – until I almost ran over Demyx, who was emerging from a door just as I passed it. He had some flour and over baking substances on his nice black coat and I could smell something cooking in the room he had just left.

"Oh, sorry Demyx!" I apologized hastily as I skidded to a halt and caught my breath. "I didn't see you there."

"No problem," he answered, brushing off his coat sleeve and smiling. "What's the rush?"

"I'm looking for Axel. He came down this way a few minutes ago."

"Oh, really?" Demyx asked, looking a little perplexed. "He was probably heading outside. He likes to take walks when he's not on patrol. I think he gets a little stir-crazy in here," the teenager confided to me. I nodded solemnly.

"Ah. How do I get outside?"

"Follow this hall. It's the fifth door on the right. Go right through the portal, but don't stay in the darkness too long. Get out as soon as you can." I started to ask why but I didn't think I had enough time. I thanked Demyx one last time and galloped off to find the door he was talking about. I counted as I went, trying not to fall on my face, and opened the fifth door. There was a dark portal there, glowing slightly like the one I had encountered a few minutes ago. I rushed into it and winced as I felt myself fall. I followed Demyx's instructions and stumbled through as well as I could. When I got to the other side I found myself in the same dark street I had arrived in two days ago. At least, it was a street identical to the other one. I craned my neck and spotted a patch of red amidst all the neon and black.

"Axel! Hey!" I called, sprinting over to him. The redhead was sitting on the ground with his back against the wall behind him. When I came over to him he opened his startling green eyes and eyed me analytically, as if I might be a possible ally or threat and he wasn't sure which I was.

"You're in a hurry," he observed. I nodded mutely and panted, regretting how long I'd run without a break.

"Yeah, well, you were escaping," I retorted. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth but he didn't let it spread. I sighed and sat down next to him, leaning my head against the cool stone and letting my own eyes close.

"I'm tired. You people ask too many questions."

"I haven't said anything."

"Your boss did. He almost had Danielle convinced that I was a Sue," I yawned. I blinked at him sleepily. The dark rings under his eyes were more prominent now that it was so dark. I wondered when he'd last gotten some rest. He rubbed at them even as I looked and rested one elbow on his bent knee.

"I'll bet she didn't fall for it."

"She _almost_ did," I reminded him.

"Yeah, but she didn't," he said, "Or else you'd be dead right now." I thought of the gleaming katana Danielle had summoned and shuddered. I didn't doubt for a second that Xemnas would have killed me on the spot, but I was disturbed that Danielle would do the same. Was that what a life spent fighting Sues did to you? Maybe it was better that I had left Middle-earth when I did. I had already "murdered" two Sues at that point. Who knows how long it would have been before I started doing it without feeling anything?

"You…were close to Danielle, right?" I began slowly as I shook off thoughts of death and the faces of the Sues I'd killed. Beside me, Axel shifted uneasily and stared off into space.

"Yes and no," he replied. "We were 'together' for a little while about two years ago. It wasn't too serious." Sheesh, the guy made it sound like a _disease_ of sound kind. I brought my knees up to my chin and wrapped my arms around them, tilting my head and studying Axel in the dim light. He was supposed to be "without a heart", whatever that meant, but I could see he still cared about Danielle. It was an awkward situation on all accounts. However, I could sense there was something I didn't know.

"You want to talk about it?" I asked. He gave me a blank look and I hastily added: "I'm just curious about how you two got together. Isn't it against the laws of canon and what not?"

"That's why Superior and the DSD never found out about it. So if you tell anyone, I'll have to kill you." He wasn't kidding. I nodded to show I understood. "All right then. Get comfy, because this is a really long story."

**A/N: Well, there you have it. All 28 lovely pages of it. Originally, my idea was that Danielle had a crush on Axel but he didn't return the feelings and just enjoyed teasing her about it. That might have been more in character for him, but I thought it might be interesting for him to have had a real relationship with her (or perhaps it's just my way of having an Axel/OC pairing without really having one). At any rate, it's something of an experiment on my part and I'd like to know what you think of it. THAT MEANS REVIEW! **


	5. Information

**A/N: Ok. Now I get to have Axel explain why exactly I went messing with canon and probably losing the few readers I have. I know I'm on dangerous ground already, but please continue reading. All will be explained in time (and it's probably not as bad as you think).**

Axel spent a minute looking around the alley for any eavesdroppers, and despite my slight impatience at the delay I didn't complain about it. There'd been plenty of people eavesdropping today – well, mostly just me – and I understood his paranoia. When he was certain no one was listening in, Axel sat down again and rubbed his left temple as if he had a headache coming on.

"I dunno where to start," he sighed. "Like I said, it's a long story."

"The beginning is usually a good place," I replied. He rolled his eyes. I wasn't being too helpful, but I was tired and I wanted to hear how he and Danielle had essentially gotten away with murder. According to just about everyone in the world of fanfiction, romances between canon characters and anyone outside of canon were to be viewed with caution at best and open hostility at worst. These two must have done an excellent job of keeping it quiet if neither Organization XIII nor the DSD even suspected them of anything.

"When our little 'collective canon' appeared about two…maybe two and a half years ago," Axel started after a moment, "the Sues started showin' up. Some things happened…" He trailed off and looked back up at the dark sky. I wondered why it was always night here and whether Axel was referring to the Sue Larxene had mentioned. I guessed "yes" to both questions, but time would tell if I was correct or not.

"Anyway," Axel continued, "the DSD arrived just after that -."

"And that's when you met Danielle?" I asked eagerly. He blinked at me.

"Are you gonna shut up and listen or am I gonna have to duct tape your mouth for you?"

"Sorry."

"Hope so. As I was sayin', our first DSD agent was this real posh kid named Cassius. You know, one o' those holier-than-thou types with a stick up his-."

"I get the picture," I interrupted hastily. Axel shrugged and went on.

"None of us liked him much. I think he must've spent too much time with DiZ or somethin', 'cause he just _loathed_ us." I had no idea who this DiZ was but I didn't bother to find out. This story didn't seem to be going anywhere and it was taking a large portion of my patience to prevent me from telling Axel to hurry up.

"Then what happened?" I inquired. Axel cracked a grin.

"The same thing that generally happens to people Larxene doesn't like. Cassius got a lightning bolt to the brain and we haven't heard from him since." I waited for him to laugh and tell me what really happened to Cassius, but he didn't. I shivered and rubbed my arms to stop goose bumps from forming. Larxene sounded more vicious than I had originally thought, if that was possible. I couldn't help but feel sorry for this Cassius fellow.

"Does she do that to _everyone_ she doesn't like?"

"If you're worried 'bout yourself, don't be. Larxene won't hurt ya unless Xemnas tells her to," Axel told me confidently. Oh yes, that made me feel exponentially better. Xemnas was probably more willing to have me killed than Larxene was. Who knows what he'd tell her to do if I got on his nerves? I'd have to watch my step even more than usual. I vowed to do this after Axel finished his tale.

"But anyway, Cassius took a nice little vacation in the DSD's psych ward and we didn't have a case worker for a few weeks. The DSD was kinda short on staff – I think a _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie was coming out or somethin' – so we got landed with Danielle, who was still a probie…"

"What's a probie?"

"She was still on probation. You know, a new recruit 'n' what not?" Axel replied a little irritably. "She was pretty cute, actually. Couldn't keep all our names straight." I could sympathize. This Organization seemed to thrive on weird names. Still, if I were a DSD agent I'd at least familiarize myself with my assigned realm _before_ I went there and started working alongside the characters to fight Sues. That's just common sense.

"So how did you two get together?" I asked after the nostalgic silence had lasted a decent period. Axel stared off into space for a moment before clearing his throat and continuing.

"First, I gotta explain something about the Nobodies. We don't have hearts, so we're not supposed to have emotions. But…" he trailed off.

"…You have them anyway?" I finished for him. It seemed logical. People who are truly without emotions shouldn't have personalities like the members of Organization XIII did. They all seemed to have twists and depths to them that couldn't possibly exist unless they had emotions that affected their actions. Waiting for Axel to confirm this theory, I turned and watched him. He nodded slowly and smiled at me.

"Most Sues seem to agree with that, ya know," he informed me. I glared at him.

"That's not my fault. Is it true, then? Do you have emotions?" I added quickly. He put a hand up to stop me from asking any more questions and I quieted down.

"Before our 'collective canon', I think only three Nobodies had _real_ emotions. The rest of 'em could remember what it felt like but not much else. Once we got here, though…they started to do more than remember. It was like we all had hearts again."

"Is that good?"

"Yeah, I'd say so. Larxene didn't improve too much, but that's Larxene for you." We both laughed uneasily and looked around as if she might appear around the corner at any second and try to murder us. It wasn't completely unreasonable and neither of us wanted to take any chances when it came to keeping Larxene's throwing knives away from our vital organs.

"Like I said," Axel continued after glancing around the corner again, "We started getting our emotions back. Things were pretty calm for a while. The Sues kept us all on our toes. Danielle and I spent a lot of time together 'cause she sucked at fighting and she needed some serious help or the DSD was gonna kick her out."

"Why'd they hire her in the first place?" I wondered aloud. Axel sighed.

"Honestly, you think they're _all_ soldiers? Danielle worked in logistics. They only sent her here 'cause they were desperate." I decided not to point out how unflattering it was to say that about a woman he cared about. Instead, I started thinking about how overworked the DSD must be. If they managed all the realms and tried to keep them Sue free, they had their work cut out for them. That was probably why they let the Organization know so much about the real world and the other realms. Storing this information for later, I returned my attention to Axel. He'd paused and was rubbing the back of his neck. He really did look exhausted and I was tempted to scold him about not getting enough sleep.

"Where was I?" he asked vaguely as he shifted and tried to get more comfortable.

"Logistics."

"Right. Danielle was a logistics officer, so when she came here I had to keep an eye on her so some crazy Sue wouldn't kill her off. We chatted a lot and it just came together from there."

"Sounds romantic."

"Heh. Try tellin' _her_ that. She kept joking 'bout how she didn't think she'd end up dating her bodyguard," Axel snorted. I smiled. He and Danielle sounded like a pretty good couple despite the blatant defiance of all things canon that went with it. I leaned back and stared up at the starry sky for a minute while I processed the story thus far. It was almost tragic in that it was doomed from the beginning. They must have realized that. Then again, when one is in love one typically doesn't think too far into the future. Not that I would know, I've never been in love.

"What happened between you two?" I inquired slowly. Axel looked (for the first time since I'd met him) a little sad. I was halfway through an apology for my rude insensitivity when he spoke again.

"I don't really know. We started arguing. She was gettin' tired of all the secrecy, and so was I. She was kinda young, too. Prob'ly too young for me. Anyway, we decided to stop seeing each other." Axel stopped for a moment, frowning. "A year later she met a nice guy from the DSD and got engaged. End of long story."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We weren't right for each other, and if our bosses had found out…" He swallowed thickly and turned his head to watch the other side of the alley. I eyed my socks and wished I could do something to help these two. Maybe whacking Danielle's fiancé or talking Xemnas and the DSD into letting Axel marry her would work. Murder isn't the best option, but it's been done. Yet…if I could avoid killing anyone ever again, I would. I had hated myself so much for killing those Sues. I could never shake the feeling of being unclean, a criminal and an outcast. Part of me wanted to talk to Axel about it, since he'd been pouring his heart out to me (pun intended) for the past half hour. On the other hand, I didn't think it was something I felt comfortable sharing. I've never been very good at talking about myself and now wasn't the time to start.

"So tell me, what'd you learn from listenin' in on Superior?" Axel asked me abruptly. Suspecting he was changing the subject on purpose, I played along and told him all I had heard when I had been eavesdropping. The redhead didn't comment on the information while I talked. From his occasional nod I could tell he was paying attention, but nothing I said seemed to surprise him. If anything he looked troubled after I'd finished my speech.

"What's the 'Outside', anyway? Is that the real world? What's going on there that has Xemnas so worried?" I rapid fired in hopes of getting a clear explanation. Axel gave me an annoyed look.

"Yeah, it's our name for the real world. And I don't think you'd understand what's going on. It's complicated," he replied. I gave him one of my better death glares (I'd wasted all my best ones on Nel and Larxene). I hate it when people say something's above my understanding. I'm not a gamer, I admit, but I didn't think that meant intricate plot details or the like were too much for my brain to handle.

"Try me!" I snapped. Axel must have realized he'd been rude because he winced.

"That came out badly."

"Yeah, it did," I muttered.

"All right, I'll try to explain. It might take a while, but -." Axel broke off at the same time that I heard footsteps on the pavement. We both stood up quickly and turned towards the noise. My fingers found the hilt of my dagger, which I'd stuck in my pocket earlier this morning, and I tensely waited to see who was coming around the corner. The first assumption I had was that it was a Sue, and judging from the speed with which Axel summoned his own weapons I think we agreed on that. Axel cautiously stepped around the corner to see what was there. I followed, easing my knife out of the leather sheath as I went. It was nice to have something to fight with. Just because I hadn't done very well in my last battle didn't mean I was ready to just sit back and let Axel do all the work.

"Who's there?" I snarled at the approaching unknown. In the dim light I could make out a female figure in an Organization coat. She stopped when I spoke and pulled her hood off. It was Larxene.

"Well, well! What have we here?" she exclaimed with her evilest grin yet. Axel relaxed slightly but I kept my guard up. I'd trust a Mary-Sue before I trusted Larxene.

"What do you want, Larxene?" Axel retorted coolly. The blonde woman continued smirking and kept glancing between Axel and me as if making a comparison.

"She's a bit young for you, isn't she?" Larxene asked. I felt my face get very warm. Axel's expression hadn't changed but I had a feeling he didn't like Larxene's accusation either.

"Don't you have better things to imagine?" I murmured under my breath. She shifted her gaze towards me. I managed to let a bit too much indignation and defiance leak into my eyes, but otherwise I tried to keep my face blank. Axel coughed suddenly to stifle a snort. Distracted by the noise, I stopped glaring at Larxene.

"Can I help ya, Larxene, or are you just here to tell bad jokes?" Axel continued sharply. Larxene rolled her eyes.

"You take all the fun out of life," she sighed. "Now I don't even have any interesting gossip to take back."

"To who, your pal Mr. Flower Petals? Spill it. What's up?" Axel replied in mock exasperation. I smirked. This guy didn't get flustered by snide remarks as easily as I do, it seemed. All I knew was that Larxene looked angry, and that was both dangerous and highly entertaining. The other woman put a hand on her hip and glared at us.

"Fine. Superior wants to talk to us. Something about what the DSD told him today." She stared at me unpleasantly when she said it and I knew she thought Superior's speech would be about me. It could have been, but I suspected that the Organization would be more interested in the news from the Outside. Maybe I'd finally figure out what was the matter.

"All right, then. Let's go. Can't keep the boss waiting, now can we?" Axel replied lightly. Larxene pursed her lips and stepped backwards into a portal. I blinked a few times after she was gone. That had been an unusual encounter and I wondered vaguely what impact Larxene's "gossip" would have on me. Being a teenager, I've dealt with rumors more than once in my life, but they are unpleasant things and difficult to destroy once they start spreading.

"C'mon, let's leave before she comes back to check on us," Axel told me. I nodded and followed him into another dark portal he created. As usual, my body took a moment to adjust to the feeling of falling and walking through total darkness. This trip seemed to take a little longer than last time I'd used a portal and I wondered if Axel was more distracted by the day's events than he appeared. I didn't blame him, but he could have picked a better time to lose concentration.

Once we were back in the main base, the redhead and I made our way towards the white circular room where I had passed my food test an eternity and a half ago. I didn't even know where we were going until we got there because of the infernal white hallways that seemed to be perfect clones of each other. It was a miracle that Axel even got us to the meeting room, what with the amount of time he spent staring at the ground or into space. Twice I almost thought we'd taken a wrong turn, only to round a corner and be back on course. It was frustrating and I hoped I'd never find myself alone in that place; if I did, I'd probably never escape with my sanity. Somehow I doubted I'd escape The World That Never Was at all (much less with my mind intact), but that's beside the point.

"Why is this place so complicated?" I grumbled as we swept down another passage. Axel didn't say anything. Something seemed off about him and I narrowed my eyes as we walked.

"Hey, are you all right? You're zoning out," I said. The man flinched and sucked in a sharp breath.

"I'm fine, kid. I'm just a bit tired." He wasn't lying, I could tell that much just from looking at him.

"When did you last get some sleep?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nobodies don't need as much sleep as humans," he answered evasively. I quickened my pace to keep up with him and scowled.

"That's not an answer. Seriously, you can get sick if you don't get enough sleep!" I protested. He rolled his eyes and stopped abruptly in front of the only door I recognized. We had made it. I set my nagging aside and glanced at Axel. He was alert now, green eyes focusing on the door and the knowledge beyond it. He opened it and stepped inside, beckoning for me to follow. The room was the same as last time except for a plain chair that had been set up next to the entrance. I assumed it was for me and sat down while Axel went to his throne. I noticed that it was the third lowest in the room after the empty Thirteenth and Fourteenth seats. Since the height of the thrones appeared to indicate the member's current status in the group, I'd say that Axel was in trouble.

"Glad you two could make it," Larxene cooed from overhead. There were a few chuckles, mainly from Marluxia, before Xemnas shot glares in all directions. The Organization took the hint and quieted down. Axel pretended he hadn't heard Larxene's comment or the laughs, but I didn't have as much success. I bottled up my outrage and kept my mouth shut…for now.

"Everyone's here, sir," Axel drawled when he sat down. Xemnas surveyed the room to double-check that before beginning his speech.

"Good. I called this meeting to inform you all of what the DSD told me this morning." Everyone sat up a little straighter and gave Superior their undivided attention. I gulped. Depending on what Xemnas told them concerning me, things could get uncomfortable in a short amount of time. Still, I was convinced that he'd want to talk about the news from the Outside more than any trivial report on whether or not I was a Sue.

"Agent Kite arrived today to decide if Rana was a Sue or not. For now she says that the evidence suggests Rana is _not_ a Sue, so we're going to keep her around." I sighed in relief while the Organization muttered to each other about the decision. Luxord and Demyx looked rather pleased with themselves for having stood up for me. Larxene sulked while Marluxia wiped that stupid grin off his face. Xemnas let them all talk for a few minutes before he raised his hand for silence.

"There is more important news than that. Something is going on in the Outside that may affect us all." A few people paled sharply while others looked slightly hopeful.

"What is it, sir? Are they bringing us back?" Larxene demanded, leaning forward in her chair until she was in danger of falling out of it and onto the floor some ten feet below. I wasn't sure what she meant, but I assumed it had something to do with returning to the main portion of canon. That probably wasn't possible (unless the makers of this game defied logic on a regular basis) but I didn't want to be the one to point that out.

"No, not quite," Xemnas replied tersely, "It's worse than that." Saïx and a few other senior members exchanged glances. Superior closed his bright golden eyes for a moment, thinking or steeling himself against whatever he was about to tell us.

"As we have seen, the number of Sues invading this 'collective canon' has been steadily increasing over the past two years," he began. "With the help of the DSD we have held them off for this long. Events in the Outside, however, may change that."

"Why? What's wrong?" Demyx burst out before he could stop himself. He cowered under the scathing looks everyone else gave him. But now Larxene wasn't the only one leaning forward and straining to hear every word Superior said. Even I was on the edge of my seat. In fact, the only two who weren't were Axel and Xemnas himself. I don't know what made Axel so calm, but from the grim look on his face I had a feeling that he knew – or had guessed – what was coming next.

"What's wrong, you ask? You all know what's wrong. You just don't realize it yet," Xemnas said. "It's already started…with the Fourteenth."

"The Fourteenth?" Zexion repeated. Xemnas nodded.

"Don't tell me you haven't seen the Fourteenth number appearing in our Organization? There's one example right here." He pointed to the lower of the two vacant thrones. No one followed his gaze. They all knew what it looked like. There was no need to confirm their fears.

"…What does it mean?" Axel asked softly. He was staring straight ahead, neither meeting Superior's gaze nor looking at the empty chairs.

"It means we may have a Fourteenth member on our hands."

Even I couldn't think of anything to say, and I'd found the Fourteenth Dilemma suspicious from the beginning. I suppose it should have been more obvious that Organization XIII had a Fourteenth, but his or her absence had made me think I was just miscounting or else that there was some other reason behind it. Now it made more sense. When I'd first arrived, Xede the Almost Normal Mary-Sue had told me she was the fourteenth member of Organization XIII. Math and my own confusion had allowed me to dismiss it as the rambling of a Sue, but now it had some credibility.

"Impossible!" Larxene piped up at once. "There is no way our creators would allow it!"

"Oh, but they have. Disney's already told the Outside that there's a possibility." _Disney_ was behind these people? _The_ Disney? The source of all Mary-Sues and the plague upon this earth that I'm content to blame for the very creation of Suethors? This was more serious than I'd realized. No wonder the Organization was so paranoid about Sues.

"What possibility?" Marluxia growled. Xemnas glared at him.

"They are creating another game, one focused around Thirteen and his time with us. There are rumors of a Fourteenth being introduced then."

"Just rumors?" Saïx pressed.

"The DSD will tell us when it's been confirmed. And until the true identity of Fourteen is revealed, the number of Sues in this world will triple."

"Triple…" Demyx echoed in horror. I swallowed thickly and curled my hands into fists to stop them from shaking. I didn't know how many Sues showed up on average, but three times that much was way too many. Everyone else seemed traumatized by the idea too. Even Axel, who was fighting valiantly to retain his casual demeanor, was paler than usual. He leaned his head against the back of his chair and watched the blank ceiling.

"How long do we have before this hits?" he asked.

"We don't know. The DSD will contact us as soon as they have more information," Xemnas replied. Axel grunted but didn't say anything. The initial shock began to wear off the Organization and they began to protest loudly that there was no way such a terror could be inflicted on The World That Never Was. Larxene and Marluxia were particularly convinced that they did not deserve such punishment from the powers that be. I begged to differ in their case, but I had to agree that the rest of the Organization didn't deserve to be constantly bombarded by waves of Sues and fangirls. I didn't know their history, but it sounded like they'd been through enough.

"So what's your plan for defending this place when that happens?" I shouted over the arguments of the Organization. They paused and blinked at me as if I had grown an extra head. Axel smirked. I stood up from my chair and walked into the center of the room, my hands on my hips and what I hoped was a defiant glint in my eye.

"Come on! You're not going to let a bunch of Sues scare you, are you?" I demanded.

"What do _you_ know about it?" Larxene snarled. I turned and glared at her angrily.

"I was a Sue hunter for a time, it's my nature to get involved," I replied.

"You are not a member of this Organization, so you will sit down and be quiet until you're asked to speak," Xemnas snapped suddenly from his throne. I cringed. Insolence was my favorite form of rebellion, but I'd acted foolishly just now. I shuffled back to my seat and sat down. Axel sighed deeply and shook his head.

"Kids these days. But she's gonna be helpful," he added more loudly to the others. "We'll need fresh ideas if we're gonna take on an invasion like this."

"As if she'll be any use against these Sues," Larxene replied, "since she can't even take on one of us. I don't know what kind of Sues she's fought before, but they must be _nothing_ compared to the ones we fight every day."

"Oh yeah?" I snarled, standing up again. "I'll take you on any day!"

"Hey, kid, don't be reckless," Axel told me in a bored voice. "The boss just told ya to sit down and shut up." I let out a short breath but didn't go back to my seat. Xemnas raised an eyebrow.

"If you're determined to annoy Larxene, do it on your own time and not during an important meeting," he said coolly. I closed my mouth sharply and folded my arms across my chest.

"My apologies," I murmured sarcastically. I'm not sure why Larxene's words bothered me so much, but it was a little late for regrets. It was surprising, actually. Typically it takes a long time for me to lose my temper. Maybe Larxene's earlier comments about Axel and I had just struck a nerve of some kind. I like to say I'm humble, but I'm easily offended by false accusations about my nonexistent "love life".

"The good news is that we have time before these Sues strike en masse," Xemnas informed the group. "We will be working closely with the DSD to prepare our defenses and form a strategy. For now, Rana may be able to assist us – but only if she is willing to follow orders." He glanced at me and I reluctantly nodded to show I understood. I could follow orders for the good of this world. Even though I wasn't a gamer or particularly attached to the people in this place, I hated Sues and I'd help anyone who decided to fight them. I also owed Axel, Luxord, and Demyx a favor. They had defended me when the others were ready to kill me, and that wasn't something I'd forget in a long time.

"On that note, I'm enforcing some new rules to help rid us of these Mary-Sues," Xemnas continued. "First, Vexen and Zexion are going to research ways to destroy Sues more efficiently. Direct combat consumes too much time and energy."

"Oh! I know a way!" I said, raising my hand like an excited third grader.

"What is it this time?" Xemnas sighed.

"Sues can't handle logic. If you point out the flaws in their characters or convince them that their 'true love' doesn't care about them, they'll die."

"How do we know that works?" Vexen inquired, pulling a notepad out of thin air and taking notes. I quickly recounted the death of HMS during my adventure in Middle-earth, painstakingly altering the story so it sounded like I'd observed the Sue's murder instead of doing the deed myself. Vexen scribbled rapidly in his notebook and only paused to pressure me for more details. I was as helpful as I could be without revealing my part in the Sue's death.

"So we have one idea. Rana, if you think of anything else be sure to let us know," Xemnas ordered me flatly. I assured him that I would.

"Next, we are going to increase the number of people per patrol." The most exhausted members of the Organization groaned. Axel rubbed his temple again and I realized that the patrols were the cause of his insomnia. It made sense now, and I felt guilty for putting him through extra stress on my behalf.

"Sir, many of us are at our limit as it is," Luxord pointed out. "It might be better to seek outside aid so we don't collapse during our shifts." Xemnas looked annoyed.

"I give the orders here."

"Won't be much left to order around after another week o' this," Axel said dryly.

"Axel, I did not ask for your input."

"Of course not, sir." The redhead and Superior tried to stare each other down. Weariness was making Axel irritable, which in turn was making Xemnas want to throttle him (or so I observed). The Organization watched the exchange warily, not wanting to get involved but also not wanting to have more work piled on their shoulders. I slowly sank into my chair and waited. Xemnas had not moved but I could sense the iciness in the atmosphere just as I had when he and Danielle had argued. Axel, meanwhile, let a grin slide onto his face. Neither one moved.

"Your insolence has cost this Organization a lot over the years, Eight," Xemnas said in a warning tone. "Do not act rashly."

"I never do," Axel retorted. "Marluxia knows that, don't ya?" The member in question shrank from the attention he was suddenly getting, but his expression bordered on murderous.

"Need I remind you of your position in this group? Or would you rather join Roxas in exile?" Xemnas asked. It was Axel's turn to look murderous. His smile disappeared.

"Oh, yeah, 'cause he has it _so_ bad! I'd _love_ to leave this little empire of yours if this is the crap I have to put up with. You're gonna kill us all if you keep pushing us all off the deep end," the redhead growled. He jumped off his chair and stumbled when he landed on the floor. Recovering his balance, he strode to the exit without a backward look. Xemnas didn't say a word.

"Axel, you're in over your head!" someone hissed urgently just as Axel reached the door. The man spun around and laughed. It was a cold sound and it made me shiver.

"So what? I've been over my head since we got here, and I'm sick o' taking orders from you people," he barked. I could have smacked him. This was getting out of hand and I still wasn't sure why he was so angry. The extra patrol time couldn't be good news, but would he really get on his boss's bad side just for that? Was he still upset about Danielle? Maybe our conversation earlier had set off something in his head, like a rebellious attitude that he had been repressing. Well, that wasn't good. I should have picked a better time to bombard him with questions about Danielle.

"Don't do anything stupid," I whispered loudly in my very best Captain Jack Sparrow voice. Axel snorted and disappeared into a dark portal. No one spoke for a moment. After a second, I glanced at Superior.

"May I leave?" I asked curtly, trying not to frown when I heard Larxene snicker. Xemnas blinked slowly.

"If you intend to search for Eight, don't bother. You won't find him," he said. I stared at him with wide eyes and a perfectly innocent expression of bewilderment.

"Why would I go after Axel? I just want to make myself some lunch." No one was buying it but they didn't seem too inclined to stop me from leaving, either. Xemnas sighed in exasperation.

"Do what you want. Demyx, help Rana find something to eat," he ordered. Demyx slid out of his chair and slunk over to me. He was even more timid than usual and seemed relieved to be escaping the tense meeting. I got up from my seat and walked over to the door before Xemnas could change his mind, Demyx right behind me. When we got out in the hallway we both let out a breath.

"That was fun," I giggled nervously, peering around the deserted corridor. Demyx smiled weakly and hurried down the hall. I followed, resisting the urge to check for pursuers every few yards. We took our time navigating the base, letting ourselves relax and talk about anything that didn't have to do with Sues or Axel or the DSD. Instead we started telling each other about ourselves – basic things like interests and what kind of food we liked. Apparently Demyx was an accomplished musician, though it took me a while to pry that information out of him. I could tell he had low self-confidence. Most men I knew would speak proudly about their talents, but Demyx was shy about it and only told me things in gradual degrees ("I can play the sitar, but I'm not that good. Well, I'm not _too_ horrible. I guess you could say I'm all right at it. Yeah, I'm actually pretty good; not _that_ good, but some people say I am…"). It was frustrating in its own way but I reminded myself to be patient. In turn, I explained about some of my writing projects and how difficult chopsticks were for me. He laughed at that and by the time we reached the lounge we were both in better moods.

"You've been to the lounge, right?" Demyx asked as he opened the door. "Well, we've got a secret kitchen that you can only reach through here. We figured it was a good idea in case Zexion and Vexen tried to poison us." I wasn't sure if I should laugh or not. We moved stealthily through the lounge so we wouldn't knock over any of the books piled on the coffee table or alert anyone else to our presence – if you're going to have a secret kitchen it has to _stay_ secret, after all. Demyx scanned the bookshelf and slid one of the volumes out an inch or two. I saw a brief flash of a hexagon barrier as it shut down and an opening appeared on the wall next to us. I trailed after Demyx, eyeing the room behind us as the barrier and the wall came up again. The tunnel we walked through was pitch black and I kept tripping over my feet. The floor had some kind of carpet on it so I didn't slide around because of my socks. In a moment or two Demyx stopped and searched for a light switch or something. The lights went on, revealing a room a lot like the lounge. It looked like it had once been a storage room: the walls had been badly painted and the furniture was mismatched. There was a sink haphazardly attached to one wall with a table next to it like a sort of counter. The refrigerator in the corner let off an electric hum while a stove waited patiently to be used. A cabinet had been set on the wall above with more care, with a second table and four chairs in the center of the room. Whoever put this room together had done it in a hurry and added on to it over the years.

"How did you guys pull it off?" I wondered aloud while Demyx went up to the cabinet and took out two plates and mugs.

"Axel helped with the stove, Luxord and I painted, we all stole chairs and tables from the Disney worlds, and I put in the plumbing." He beamed fondly at the sink and I hastily nudged the chair nearest me to see if it was radioactive. I never take chances with anything made by Disney. I took the dishes from Demyx and set the table, watching as he filled a pot with water and started boiling it on the stove.

"You three must be close," I observed as I walked over and started rifling through the refrigerator to see what was there. I found an apple and munched on it, happy to be eating something after such a long day. I'd only been up for about four hours but I felt like I'd been awake for days. Demyx sat down at the table while the water boiled.

"We all joined the Organization around the same time," he replied, though I could tell his mind was on lunch. I nodded and chewed on my bite of apple.

"Makes sense. I guess you don't get along too well with the others?"

"Luxord does," Demyx grumbled. I smiled and shrugged.

"Hey, I don't exactly fit in either. At least _you're_ not constantly in danger of dying," I reminded him good-naturedly. He didn't laugh.

"Axel's a dangerous friend to have. You should be careful," he cautioned me. I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth to ask why, but just then the door opened. Demyx and I jumped and nearly gave ourselves whiplash as we twisted around in our chairs. It was Axel, looking as tired and ticked off as ever. He stomped into the room and collapsed into one of the empty chairs.

"Yo," he said by way of greeting.

"Speak of the devil…" I muttered. "Are you insane? You're going to get killed one of these days!"

"Superior's furious, I can tell," Demyx chimed in while he got up to put pasta in the boiling water. Axel waved off our concerns and leaned back in his chair lazily.

"I'm not worried. I didn't get into the Organization by fleeing in terror from death threats."

"So if your own _boss_ wants to kill you, you're just going to ignore it?" I demanded. Axel grinned and gave me a thumbs-up.

"Yep!" he replied cheerfully. I groaned and banged my head on the table several times. I am surrounded by idiots. Axel snorted and aimed a kick at my chair. I scowled at him and gave up on my lecture. The redhead was obviously insane, so there wasn't much I would be able to do even if he decided to listen to me. I hoped he knew what he was getting into – and the people he was dragging down with him (namely me).

"Demyx, what are you cooking? I need food if this guy's trying to get me killed," I whined. The teenager was busy stirring pasta and making some kind of sauce in a separate pan.

"Spaghetti, the cheap stuff from the box," he said with a dispassionate glance at our future lunch. I lifted my head off the table and smiled hopefully. I love Italian food and it was nice to have something familiar to eat. Miso soup and sushi are all well and good…just not every day.

"So what are you going to do about all this?" I asked Axel, shifting my gaze from the food to him and taking another large bite out of my apple so I wouldn't have to say anything else for a minute. Axel yawned.

"I'm gonna wait. Luxord should be here any second with news from – ah, here he is." The blonde man in question strode into the kitchen without giving me a second glance and sat down in the last empty chair. He pulled a deck of cards out of thin air and started setting up a game of Solitaire for himself. Axel didn't pressure him for information and Demyx went back to his cooking. Even I just sat there and ate my apple. This lasted for about five minutes. At that point Axel was bored enough to start asking prudent questions about the meeting.

"So how was it?"

"Let us just say that you could not sink any lower in the ranks even if you tried," Luxord sighed as he finished dealing the cards and began the slow process of playing. Axel grinned.

"That bad, huh? Is Superior gonna turn me into a Dusk if I show my face again?"

"I would not try to find out if I were you." Axel didn't seem too impressed by the gravity of the situation.

"Well, maybe it's time I left," he said. Demyx blinked at him and Luxord scoffed.

"And where would you go?" the blonde asked haughtily. "Destiny Islands? Twilight Town? The Disney Castle itself?"

"I dunno, Hollow Bastion always sounded nice…"

"You shouldn't joke about that," Demyx warned him in a high-pitched voice. "Superior's really angry, I don't think you should make it any worse." Axel rolled his eyes.

"I'm sick of Xemnas and his high-and-mighty orders. We're Nobodies, we can take care of ourselves," Axel snapped.

"Oh yeah, you'll do great all by yourself when those Sues show up," I said suddenly, swallowing my last bite of apple and sitting up in my chair. "And are you just going to leave everyone else here to fight on their own? What about your friends?"

"Heh. I don't have any. The last one got kicked out."

"What about Demyx and Luxord?" I asked.

"We stick together 'cause we have to," Axel answered coldly. "That's not the same thing." Demyx and Luxord did not look offended by this so I decided it was true. Still, such lack of loyalty for one's comrades wasn't right.

"It doesn't matter! You should fight alongside them, not leave us all to die!" I realized after a second that I had said "us". Oh dear, I was starting to count myself as part of the group. I was, in a way. When this new wave of Sues hit I'd have to go into battle just like the rest of them. It was my unofficial job. Axel eyed me silently for a minute.

"You're quite the idealist, aren't ya?" he said.

"At least she _has_ ideals," Luxord said without looking up from his game. Axel settled his eyes on one of Luxord's cards, which began to burn at the corners and emit a thin line of white smoke. The blonde cursed and scooped up the rest of his cards before they could catch fire.

"Axel, that's childish!" he spat as he watched the remaining card smolder. Axel stuck out his tongue. I glared sourly at the ruined card and stood up.

"Calm down, both of you. I'm getting a headache from all this weirdness." I went over to the stove and looked down at the sauce Demyx was working on. He moved over so I could stand and keep an eye on the pasta. The two of us ignored whatever else Axel and Luxord argued about for the next few minutes. Working in a kitchen again was calming on my shot nerves and the meal was prepared in half the time because of the extra help. Axel even got up at some point and fetched plates for himself and Luxord, though the two didn't seem to be speaking at the moment. In a few more minutes Demyx put spaghetti and pasta onto our plates and we sat down to eat. It was the strangest meal I'd ever had. I was in an unknown world, sitting in a kitchen and having lunch with three guys from an Organization about to be hit with more Sues than I liked to think about. There was a long fight ahead, and it was going to start with talking some sense into Axel.

**A/N: I'm very sorry for the delay, I've been very sick over the past week. This chapter is 30 pages long (technically 31, counting the author's notes) and I hope it didn't drag on too long. Thank you for reading. **


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